Concrete drum control, property prediction, and monitoring systems and methods

ABSTRACT

A drum control system includes a mixture sensor and a controller. The mixture sensor is configured to be positioned within a drum to engage with drum contents to facilitate acquiring drum contents data indicative of a property of the drum contents. The controller is configured to control a drive system to rotate the drum at a first, unmixed speed following receipt of the drum contents by the drum where the drum contents including ingredients of a concrete mixture; acquire the drum contents data from the mixture sensor and monitor the property of the drum contents as the drum rotates; and control the drive system to rotate the drum at a second, mixed speed in response to determining that the property of the drum contents indicates that the ingredients have been sufficiently mixed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/522,453, filed Jul. 25, 2019, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/624,900, filed Jun. 16, 2017, which claims thebenefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/351,891, filedJun. 17, 2016, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/406,390, filedOct. 10, 2016, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/414,527,filed Oct. 28, 2016, all of which are incorporated herein by referencein their entireties.

BACKGROUND

Concrete mixer vehicles are configured to receive, mix, and transportwet concrete or a combination of ingredients that when mixed form wetconcrete to a job site. To prevent the concrete from setting, concretemixing vehicles include a rotatable mixing drum that continually mixesthe concrete disposed therein. The drum rotation speed may be passivelycontrolled, potentially leading to arriving at a job site with theconcrete having undesirable properties.

SUMMARY

One embodiment relates to a concrete mixer vehicle. The concrete mixervehicle includes a chassis, a drum assembly coupled to the chassis, amixture sensor, and a control system. The drum assembly includes a drumand a drive system coupled to the drum. The drum is configured toreceive drum contents including ingredients of a concrete mixture. Thedrive system is configured to rotate the drum to agitate the drumcontents. The mixture sensor is positioned within the drum to engagewith the drum contents to facilitate acquiring drum contents dataindicative of a property of the drum contents. The control system isconfigured to control the drive system to rotate the drum at a first,unmixed speed following receipt of the ingredients of the concretemixture by the drum at a loading location; acquire the drum contentsdata from the mixture sensor and monitor the property of the drumcontents as the drum rotates; and control the drive system to rotate thedrum at a second, mixed speed in response to determining that theproperty of the drum contents indicates that the ingredients have beensufficiently mixed.

Another embodiment relates to a drum system. The drum system includes adrum assembly, a mixture sensor, and a control system. The drum assemblyincludes a drum and a drive system coupled to the drum. The drum isconfigured to receive drum contents including ingredients of a concretemixture. The drive system is configured to rotate the drum to agitatethe drum contents. The mixture sensor is positioned within the drum toengage with the drum contents to facilitate acquiring drum contents dataindicative of a property of the drum contents. The control system isconfigured to control the drive system to rotate the drum at a first,unmixed speed following receipt of the ingredients of the concretemixture by the drum; acquire the drum contents data from the mixturesensor and monitor the property of the drum contents as the drumrotates; and control the drive system to rotate the drum at a second,mixed speed in response to determining that the property of the drumcontents indicates that the ingredients have been sufficiently mixed.

Still another embodiment relates to a drum control system. The drumcontrol system includes a mixture sensor and a controller. The mixturesensor is configured to be positioned within a drum to engage with drumcontents to facilitate acquiring drum contents data indicative of aproperty of the drum contents. The controller is configured to control adrive system to rotate the drum at a first, unmixed speed followingreceipt of the drum contents by the drum where the drum contentsincluding ingredients of a concrete mixture; acquire the drum contentsdata from the mixture sensor and monitor the property of the drumcontents as the drum rotates; and control the drive system to rotate thedrum at a second, mixed speed in response to determining that theproperty of the drum contents indicates that the ingredients have beensufficiently mixed.

The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being carried outin various ways. Alternative exemplary embodiments relate to otherfeatures and combinations of features as may be recited in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will become more fully understood from the followingdetailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingfigures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a concrete mixing truck with a drum assemblyand a control system, according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a detailed side view of the drum assembly of the concretemixing truck of FIG. 1 , according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a power flow diagram for the concrete mixing truck of FIG. 1having a drum drive system that is selectively coupled to a transmissionwith a clutch, according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the control system for the concretemixing truck of FIG. 1 , according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a method for controlling a drum drive system of a concretemixing truck, according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a method for controlling a drum drive system of a concretemixing truck, according to another exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a method for predicting properties of a mixture within aconcrete mixing truck, according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a method for predicting properties of a mixture within aconcrete mixing truck, according to another exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a method for determining a combination of ingredients issufficiently mixed, according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the concrete mixing truck of FIG. 1 ,according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a user interface of the concrete mixingtruck of FIG. 1 , according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a schematic view of a first graphical user interface of theuser interface of FIG. 11 , according to an exemplary embodiment; and

FIG. 13 is a schematic view of a second graphical user interface of theuser interface of FIG. 11 , according to an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before turning to the figures, which illustrate the exemplaryembodiments in detail, it should be understood that the presentapplication is not limited to the details or methodology set forth inthe description or illustrated in the figures. It should also beunderstood that the terminology is for the purpose of description onlyand should not be regarded as limiting.

According to an exemplary embodiment, a concrete mixing vehicle includesa drum assembly having a mixing drum, a drive system, and a drum controlsystem. The drum control system may be configured to control the drivesystem to rotate the mixing drum. Traditional drum control systems maybe configured to passively control the rotation and rotational speed ofthe mixing drum (e.g., at a preset speed, at a preset speed ratio thatvaries with the engine speed, etc.).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the drum control system of thepresent disclosure is configured to actively control the rotation and/orrotational speed of the mixing drum to provide and/or maintain targetproperties for the concrete (e.g., a desired consistency, mixturequality, amount of air entrainment, viscosity, slump, temperature, watercontent, etc.) during transportation and/or upon arrival at the jobsite. By way of example, the drum control system may be configured tomonitor the properties of the concrete within the mixing drum (e.g.,with a sensor, etc.) and adaptably adjust the rotational speed of themixing drum to provide concrete having desired or target properties(e.g., in response to the current properties of the concrete approachingand/or reaching the target properties, etc.). The drum control systemmay monitor the concrete property (e.g., slump, etc.), adjust (e.g.,increase, etc.) the drum speed in response to an indication that theproperty is at, approaching, or above a target level (e.g., a slump at,approaching, or above a target slump level, etc.), and adjust (e.g.,decrease, etc.) the drum speed in response to an indication that theproperty is at, approaching, or below the target level. By way ofexample, the system may be configured to increase the drum speed inresponse to an indication that the concrete within the drum is at a six(6) slump and decrease the drum speed in response to an indication thatthe concrete within the drum is at a four (4) slump. The system may beconfigured to further decrease drum speed, add water or anothersubstance, etc. to keep the concrete within the drum at the targetlevel. In some embodiments, the drum control system is configured toadditionally or alternatively control the rotation and/or rotationalspeed of the mixing drum based on actual and/or anticipated drivingbehavior and/or road parameters (e.g., acceleration, deceleration, roadgrades, speed limit changes, stop signs, traffic lights, road curvature,traffic information, traffic patterns, etc.; to prevent concrete fromspilling out of the mixing drum; to maintain a desired speed of themixing drum as the engine speed varies; etc.).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the drum control system of thepresent disclosure is configured to additionally or alternativelypredict a property of a mixture within the mixing drum at delivery basedon various data. The various data may include delivery data (e.g., adelivery location, a delivery time, a delivery route, etc.), initialproperties of the mixture (e.g., a weight of the mixture, a volume ofthe mixture, a constituent makeup of the mixture, an initial slump, aninitial viscosity, mixed, unmixed, mixed status, etc.), targetproperties for the mixture (e.g., a desired consistency, mixturequality, amount of air entrainment, viscosity, slump, temperature, watercontent, etc.), environment data (e.g., an ambient temperature, arelative humidity, wind speed, elevation, precipitation characteristics,road attributes, traffic information/patterns, etc.), mixture data(e.g., current properties of the mixture, etc.), and/or GPS data (e.g.,unscheduled stops, road attributes, traffic information/patterns, traveltime updates, etc.). The drum control system may be further configuredto selectively and/or adaptively control a pump of the drive system(e.g., a throttling element thereof, etc.) to adjust a speed of themixing drum and provide a target drum speed for the mixing drum (e.g.,to achieve a target property for the mixture, based on the predicteddelivery properties, etc.).

According to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4 and 10 , avehicle, shown as concrete mixing truck 10, includes a drum assembly,shown as drum assembly 100, and a control system, shown as drum controlsystem 150. According to an exemplary embodiment, the concrete mixingtruck 10 is configured as a rear-discharge concrete mixing truck. Inother embodiments, the concrete mixing truck 10 is configured as afront-discharge concrete mixing truck. As shown in FIG. 1 , the concretemixing truck 10 includes a chassis, shown as frame 12, a cab, shown ascab 14, coupled to the frame 12 (e.g., at a front end thereof, etc.).The drum assembly 100 is coupled to the frame 12 and disposed behind thecab 14 (e.g., at a rear end thereof, etc.), according to the exemplaryembodiment shown in FIG. 1 . In other embodiments, at least a portion ofthe drum assembly 100 extends in front of the cab 14. The cab 14 mayinclude various components to facilitate operation of the concretemixing truck 10 by an operator (e.g., a seat, a steering wheel,hydraulic controls, a user interface, switches, buttons, dials, etc.).

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 , the concrete mixing truck 10 includes aprime mover, shown as engine 16. As shown in FIG. 1 , the engine 16 iscoupled to the frame 12 at a position beneath the cab 14. The engine 16may be configured to utilize one or more of a variety of fuels (e.g.,gasoline, diesel, bio-diesel, ethanol, natural gas, etc.), according tovarious exemplary embodiments. According to an alternative embodiment,the engine 16 additionally or alternatively includes one or moreelectric motors coupled to the frame 12 (e.g., a hybrid vehicle, anelectric vehicle, etc.). The electric motors may consume electricalpower from an on-board storage device (e.g., batteries,ultra-capacitors, etc.), from an on-board generator (e.g., an internalcombustion engine, etc.), and/or from an external power source (e.g.,overhead power lines, etc.) and provide power to systems of the concretemixing truck 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 , the concrete mixing truck 10 includes apower transfer device, shown as transmission 18. As shown in FIG. 3 ,the engine 16 is coupled to the transmission 18. In one embodiment, theengine 16 produces mechanical power (e.g., due to a combustion reaction,etc.) that flows into the transmission 18. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 ,the concrete mixing truck 10 includes a first drive system, shown asvehicle drive system 20, that is coupled to the transmission 18. Thevehicle drive system 20 may include drive shafts, differentials, andother components coupling the transmission 18 with a ground surface tomove the concrete mixing truck 10. As shown in FIG. 1 , the concretemixing truck 10 includes a plurality of tractive elements, shown aswheels 22, that engage a ground surface to move the concrete mixingtruck 10. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the mechanical powerproduced by the engine 16 flows through the transmission 18 and into thevehicle drive system 20 to power at least a portion of the wheels 22(e.g., front wheels, rear wheels, etc.). In one embodiment, energy(e.g., mechanical energy, etc.) flows along a first power path definedfrom the engine 16, through the transmission 18, and to the vehicledrive system 20.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 10 , the drum assembly 100 of the concretemixing truck 10 includes a drum, shown as mixing drum 102. The mixingdrum 102 is coupled to the frame 12 and disposed behind the cab 14(e.g., at a rear and/or middle of the frame 12, etc.). As shown in FIGS.1, 2, and 10 , the drum assembly 100 includes a second drive system,shown as drum drive system 120, that is coupled to the frame 12. Theconcrete mixing truck 10 includes a first support, shown as frontpedestal 106, and a second support, shown as rear pedestal 108.According to an exemplary embodiment, the front pedestal 106 and therear pedestal 108 cooperatively couple (e.g., attach, secure, etc.) themixing drum 102 to the frame 12 and facilitate rotation of the mixingdrum 102 relative to the frame 12. In an alternative embodiment, thedrum assembly 100 is configured as a stand-alone mixing drum that is notcoupled (e.g., fixed, attached, etc.) to a vehicle. In such anembodiment, the drum assembly 100 may be mounted to a stand-alone frame.The stand-alone frame may be a chassis including wheels that assist withthe positioning of the stand-alone mixing drum on a worksite. Such astand-alone mixing drum may also be detachably coupled to and/or capableof being loaded onto a vehicle such that the stand-alone mixing drum maybe transported by the vehicle.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the mixing drum 102 defines a central,longitudinal axis, shown as axis 104. According to an exemplaryembodiment, the drum drive system 120 is configured to selectivelyrotate the mixing drum 102 about the axis 104. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the axis 104 is angled relative to the frame 12 such that the axis 104intersects with the frame 12. According to an exemplary embodiment, theaxis 104 is elevated from the frame 12 at an angle in the range of fivedegrees to twenty degrees. In other embodiments, the axis 104 iselevated by less than five degrees (e.g., four degrees, three degrees,etc.) or greater than twenty degrees (e.g., twenty-five degrees, thirtydegrees, etc.). In an alternative embodiment, the concrete mixing truck10 includes an actuator positioned to facilitate selectively adjustingthe axis 104 to a desired or target angle (e.g., manually in response toan operator input/command, automatically according to a control scheme,etc.).

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 10 , the mixing drum 102 of the drumassembly 100 includes an inlet, shown as hopper 110, and an outlet,shown as chute 112. According to an exemplary embodiment, the mixingdrum 102 is configured to receive a mixture, such as a concrete mixture(e.g., cementitious material, aggregate, sand, etc.), with the hopper110. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the mixing drum 102 includes a port,shown as injection port 130. The injection port 130 may provide accessinto the interior of the mixing drum 102 to inject water and/orchemicals (e.g., air entrainers, water reducers, set retarders, setaccelerators, superplasticizers, corrosion inhibitors, coloring, calciumchloride, minerals, and/or other concrete additives, etc.). According toan exemplary embodiment, the injection port 130 includes an injectionvalve that facilitates injecting the water and/or the chemicals from afluid reservoir (e.g., a water tank, etc.) into the mixing drum 102 tointeract with the mixture, while preventing the mixture within themixing drum 102 from exiting the mixing drum 102 through the injectionport 130. In some embodiments, the mixing drum 102 includes multipleinjection ports 130 (e.g., two injection ports, three injection ports,etc.) configured to facilitate independently injecting different waterand/or chemicals into the mixing drum 102. The mixing drum 102 mayinclude a mixing element (e.g., fins, etc.) positioned within theinterior thereof. The mixing element may be configured to (i) agitatethe contents of mixture within the mixing drum 102 when the mixing drum102 is rotated by the drum drive system 120 in a first direction (e.g.,counterclockwise, clockwise, etc.) and (ii) drive the mixture within themixing drum 102 out through the chute 112 when the mixing drum 102 isrotated by the drum drive system 120 in an opposing second direction(e.g., clockwise, counterclockwise, etc.).

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the drum drive system 120 includes a pump,shown as pump 122, a reservoir, shown as fluid reservoir 124, and anactuator, shown as drum actuator 126. As shown in FIG. 3 , the fluidreservoir 124, the pump 122, and the drum actuator 126 are fluidlycoupled. According to an exemplary embodiment, the drum actuator 126 isa hydraulic motor, the fluid reservoir 124 is a hydraulic fluidreservoir, and the pump 122 is a hydraulic pump. The pump 122 may beconfigured to pump fluid (e.g., hydraulic fluid, etc.) stored within thefluid reservoir 124 to drive the drum actuator 126. According to anexemplary embodiment, the pump 122 is configured to facilitateselectively and/or adaptively controlling the output of the drumactuator 126. In one embodiment, the pump 122 includes a variabledisplacement hydraulic pump (e.g., an axial piston pump, etc.) and has apump stroke that is variable. The pump 122 may be configured topressurize hydraulic fluid based on the pump stroke (e.g., the greaterthe pump stroke, the higher the pressure, and the faster the drumactuator 126 rotates the mixing drum 102, etc.). The pump 122 mayinclude a throttling element (e.g., a swash plate, etc.). The pumpstroke of the pump 122 may vary based on the orientation of thethrottling element. In one embodiment, the pump stroke of the pump 122varies based on an angle of the throttling element (e.g., relative to anaxis along which the pistons move within the axial piston pump, etc.).By way of example, the pump stroke may be zero where the angle of thethrottling element equal to zero. The pump stroke may increase as theangle of the throttling element increases.

In one embodiment, the throttling element of the pump 122 is movablebetween a stroked position (e.g., a maximum stroke position, a partiallystroked position, etc.) and a destroked position (e.g., a minimum stokeposition, a partially destroked position, etc.). According to anexemplary embodiment, an actuator is coupled to the throttling elementof the pump 122. The actuator may be positioned to move the throttlingelement between the stroked position and the destroked position. Thedrum control system 150 may be configured to generate a first commandsignal and a second command signal. The first command signal may engagethe actuator to move the throttling element of the pump 122 into thedestroked position, thereby decreasing the pump stroke. The secondcommand signal may engage the actuator to move the throttling element ofthe pump 122 into the stroked position, thereby increasing the pumpstroke.

According to another exemplary embodiment, a valve is positioned tofacilitate movement of the throttling element between the strokedposition and the destroked position. In one embodiment, the valveincludes a resilient member (e.g., a spring, etc.) configured to biasthe throttling element in the destroked position (e.g., by biasingmovable elements of the valve into positions where a hydraulic circuitactuates the throttling element into the destroked positions, etc.).Pressure from fluid flowing through the pump 122 may overcome theresilient member to actuate the throttling element into the strokedposition (e.g., by actuating movable elements of the valve intopositions where a hydraulic circuit actuates the throttling element intothe stroked position, etc.).

In other embodiments, the drum actuator 126 is or includes an internalcombustion engine. In such embodiments, the fluid reservoir 124 may beconfigured to store liquid and/or gaseous fuel (e.g., gasoline, diesel,propane, natural gas, hydrogen, etc.), and the pump 122 may beconfigured as a fuel pump. In still other embodiments, the drum actuator126 is or includes an electric motor. In such embodiments, the fluidreservoir 124 may be an energy storage device (e.g., a battery, acapacitor, etc.) configured to store and provide chemical and/orelectrical energy. The drum drive system 120 may not include the pump122 in such embodiments. According to an exemplary embodiment, the drumactuator 126 is mounted to the concrete mixing truck 10 at the sameangle as the axis 104 of the mixing drum 102 (e.g., such that the outputof drum actuator 126 rotates about an axis parallel to the axis 104,etc.).

As shown in FIG. 2 , the drum drive system 120 includes a drive wheel,shown as drum drive wheel 128, coupled to the mixing drum 102. The drumdrive wheel 128 may be welded, bolted, or otherwise secured to the headof the mixing drum 102. The center of the drum drive wheel 128 may bepositioned along the axis 104 such that the drum drive wheel 128 rotatesabout the axis 104. According to an exemplary embodiment, the drumactuator 126 is coupled to the drum drive wheel 128 (e.g., with a belt,a chain, etc.) to facilitate driving the drum drive wheel 128 andthereby rotate the mixing drum 102. The drum drive wheel 128 may be orinclude a sprocket, a cogged wheel, a grooved wheel, a smooth-sidedwheel, a sheave, a pulley, or still another member. In otherembodiments, the drum drive system 120 does not include the drum drivewheel 128. By way of example, the drum drive system 120 may include agearbox that couples the drum actuator 126 to the mixing drum 102. Byway of another example, the drum actuator 126 (e.g., an output thereof,etc.) may be directly coupled to the mixing drum 102 (e.g., along theaxis 104, etc.) to rotate the mixing drum 102.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the concrete mixing truck 10 includes a powertakeoff unit, shown as power takeoff unit 32, that is coupled to thetransmission 18. In one embodiment, the transmission 18 and the powertakeoff unit 32 include mating gears that are in meshing engagement. Aportion of the energy provided to the transmission 18 flows through themating gears and into the power takeoff unit 32, according to anexemplary embodiment. In one embodiment, the mating gears have the sameeffective diameter. In other embodiments, at least one of the matinggears has a larger diameter, thereby providing a gear reduction or atorque multiplication and increasing or decreasing the gear speed.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the power takeoff unit 32 is selectively coupled tothe pump 122, with a clutch 34. In some embodiments, the concrete mixingtruck 10 does not include the clutch 34. By way of example, the powertakeoff unit 32 may be directly coupled to the pump 122 (e.g., a directconfiguration, a non-clutched configuration, etc.). According to analternative embodiment, the power takeoff unit 32 includes the clutch 34(e.g., a hot shift PTO, etc.). In one embodiment, the clutch 34 includesa plurality of clutch discs. When the clutch 34 is engaged, an actuatorforces the plurality of clutch discs into contact with one another,which couples an output of the transmission 18 with the pump 122. In oneembodiment, the actuator includes a solenoid that is electronicallyactuated according to a clutch control strategy. When the clutch 34 isdisengaged, the pump 122 is not coupled to (i.e., is isolated from) theoutput of the transmission 18. Relative movement between the clutchdiscs or movement between the clutch discs and another component of thepower takeoff unit 32 may be used to decouple the pump 122 from thetransmission 18.

In one embodiment, energy flows along a second power path defined fromthe engine 16, through the transmission 18 and the power takeoff unit32, and into the pump 122 when the clutch 34 is engaged. When the clutch34 is disengaged, energy flows from the engine 16, through thetransmission 18, and into the power takeoff unit 32. The clutch 34selectively couples the pump 122 to the engine 16, according to anexemplary embodiment. In one embodiment, energy along the first flowpath is used to drive the wheels 22 of the concrete mixing truck 10, andenergy along the second flow path is used to operate the drum drivesystem 120 (e.g., power the pump 122 to drive the drum actuator 126 tothereby rotate the mixing drum 102, etc.). Energy may flow along thefirst flow path during normal operation of the concrete mixing truck 10and selectively flow along the second flow path. By way of example, theclutch 34 may be engaged such that energy flows along the second flowpath when the pump 122 is used to drive the mixing drum 102. When thepump 122 is not used to drive the mixing drum 102 (e.g., when the mixingdrum 102 is empty, etc.), the clutch 34 may be selectively disengaged,thereby conserving energy.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 10 , the drum assembly 100 includes asensor, shown as sensor 140. According to an exemplary embodiment, thesensor 140 includes a mixture sensor that is positioned within themixing drum 102 and configured to acquire mixture data indicative of oneor more properties of the mixture within the mixing drum 102. In oneembodiment, the sensor 140 includes a plurality of mixture sensors(e.g., two, three, four, etc.), each mixture sensor configured toacquire data indicative of at least one of the one or more properties.The one or more properties of the mixture may include a mixture quality,a slump, a consistency of mixture, a viscosity, a temperature, an amountof air entrainment, an amount of water content, a weight, a volume, arotational velocity, a rotational acceleration, a surface tension, amixed status, an unmined status, a partially mixed status, etc. of themixture. The drum control system 150 may be configured to control therotational speed of the drum actuator 126 by selectively controlling thepump 122 (e.g., the angle of the throttling element thereof, etc.) basedon an operator input and/or a property of the mixture within the mixingdrum 102 (e.g., as determined based on the mixture data acquired by thesensor 140, etc.) to provide a target or desired property for themixture. In other embodiments, the sensor 140 of the drum assembly 100does not include the mixture sensors.

In some embodiments, the sensors 140 include one or more drive systemsensors. The drive system sensors may be variously positioned on,around, and/or within one or more components of the drum drive system120 to acquire drive system data. The drive system data may beindicative of one or more operating characteristics of the drum drivesystem 120. The operating characteristic may include a speed of themixing drum 102, a direction of rotation of the mixing drum 102, apressure associated with the pump 122 (e.g., a hydraulic pressure, aninlet pressure, an outlet pressure, etc.), another hydraulic systempressure, and/or other operating characteristics of the drum drivesystem 120.

In some embodiments, the sensor 140 includes one or more environmentsensors. The environment sensors may be variously positioned on, around,and/or within the concrete mixing truck 10 to acquire environment data.The environment data may be indicative of an environmentalcharacteristic (e.g., external to the mixing drum 102, etc.). Theenvironmental characteristics may include an ambient temperature, arelative humidity, wind speed, elevation, precipitation characteristics(e.g., rain, snow, fog, etc.), road attributes, trafficinformation/patterns, etc. The environment sensors may include atemperature sensor, a barometer or other pressure sensor, a humiditysensor, a pitot tube, an altimeter, an accelerometer, a camera, aproximity sensor, and/or other sensors configured to acquire informationabout the environment external to the mixing drum 102.

By way of example, during operation, the mixing drum 102 may be loadedwith a concrete mixture through the hopper 110. The drum drive system120 may be operated to rotate the mixing drum 102 in a first directionto mix and agitate the concrete mixture contained in the mixing drum 102with the mixing element. Water and/or chemicals may be pumped into themixing drum 102 through the injection port 130 to provide a desiredproperty of the concrete mixture and/or to prevent the concrete mixturefrom setting within the mixing drum 102. The concrete mixing truck 10may transport the mixture to a job site (e.g., a construction site,etc.). During such transportation, the drum control system 150 may beconfigured to selectively and/or adaptively control the drum drivesystem 120 (e.g., the pump 122 to increase or decrease a speed of thedrum actuator 126, etc.) to provide a target drum speed. The drumcontrol system 150 may be configured to control the drum drive system120 based on mixture data acquired by the sensors 140 such that theconcrete mixture within the mixing drum 102 has one or more desired ortarget properties (e.g., a desired consistency, mixture quality, amountof air entrainment, viscosity, slump, temperature, water content, etc.)during transportation and/or upon arrival at the job site. Upon arrivalat the job site with the concrete mixture having the one or more desiredproperties, the drum drive system 120 may be operated to rotate themixing drum 102 in an opposing second direction. The rotation of themixing element in the opposing second direction may cause the mixingelement to carry the concrete mixture out of the mixing drum 102. Thechute 112 of the drum assembly 100 may be used to dispense and guide theconcrete mixture away from the frame 12 of the concrete mixing truck 10to the concrete mixture's destination (e.g., a concrete form, awheelbarrow, a concrete pump machine, etc.).

Drum Control and Property Prediction System

According to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4 , the drum controlsystem 150 for the drum assembly 100 of the concrete mixing truck 10includes a controller, shown as drum assembly controller 160. In oneembodiment, the drum assembly controller 160 is configured toselectively engage, selectively disengage, control, and/or otherwisecommunicate with components of the drum assembly 100 and/or the concretemixing truck 10 (e.g., actively control the components thereof, etc.).As shown in FIG. 4 , the drum assembly controller 160 is coupled to theengine 16, the clutch 34, the drum drive system 120 (e.g., the pump 122,etc.), the injection port 130 (e.g., the injection valve thereof, etc.),the sensor(s) 140, a user interface 188, and a global positioning system(GPS) 190. In other embodiments, the drum assembly controller 160 iscoupled to more or fewer components. The drum assembly controller 160may be configured to predict a property of the mixture within the mixingdrum 102 at delivery based on various data (e.g., delivery data, initialproperties, target properties, environment data, mixture data, GPS data,etc.). The drum assembly controller 160 may be further configured toselectively and/or adaptively control the pump 122 (e.g., the throttlingelement thereof, etc.) to adjust a speed of the drum actuator 126 andprovide a target drum speed for the mixing drum 102 (e.g., to achieve atarget property for the mixture, etc.). By way of example, the drumassembly controller 160 may send and receive signals with the engine 16,the clutch 34, the drum drive system 120, the injection port 130, thesensor 140, the user interface 188, and/or the GPS 190. In oneembodiment, the drum assembly controller 160 is configured toselectively turn on and selectively turn off one or more of the variousfunctionalities described herein. The drum assembly controller 160 mayturn on and turn off one or more of the various functionalitiesautomatically, based on user requests during initial manufacture, and/orbased on user input.

The drum assembly controller 160 may be implemented as a general-purposeprocessor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), one ormore field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), a digital-signal-processor(DSP), circuits containing one or more processing components, circuitryfor supporting a microprocessor, a group of processing components, orother suitable electronic processing components. According to theexemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4 , the drum assembly controller 160includes a processing circuit 162 having a processor 164 and a memory166. The processing circuit 162 may include an ASIC, one or more FPGAs,a DSP, circuits containing one or more processing components, circuitryfor supporting a microprocessor, a group of processing components, orother suitable electronic processing components. In some embodiments,the processor 164 is configured to execute computer code stored in thememory 166 to facilitate the activities described herein. The memory 166may be any volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage mediumcapable of storing data or computer code relating to the activitiesdescribed herein. According to an exemplary embodiment, the memory 166includes computer code modules (e.g., executable code, object code,source code, script code, machine code, etc.) configured for executionby the processor 164.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the memory 166 includes various modules forcompleting processes described herein. More particularly, the memory 166includes an engine module 168, an input/output (I/O) module 170, a GPSmodule 172, and a concrete property module 174 including a sensor module176, a prediction module 178, a recording module 180, a drive module182, and an injection module 184. While various modules with particularfunctionality are shown in FIG. 4 , it should be understood that thedrum assembly controller 160 and the memory 166 may include any numberof modules for completing the functions described herein. For example,the activities of multiple modules may be combined as a single moduleand additional modules with additional functionality may be included.Further, it should be understood that the drum assembly controller 160may further control other processes beyond the scope of the presentdisclosure.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the engine module 168 is coupled to the engine 16.The engine module 168 may be configured to receive engine data from theengine 16. The engine data may include performance characteristics ofthe engine 16 including engine speed (e.g., revolutions-per-minute(RPMs), etc.), engine torque, and/or engine acceleration. As shown inFIG. 4 , the engine module 168 is coupled to the concrete propertymodule 174 such that the concrete property module 174 may receive andinterpret the engine data when controlling the drum drive system 120.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the I/O module 170 is coupled to the user interface188. In one embodiment, the user interface 188 includes a display and anoperator input. The display may be configured to display a graphicaluser interface, an image, an icon, a notification, and/or still otherinformation. In one embodiment, the display includes a graphical userinterface configured to provide general information about the concretemixing truck 10 (e.g., vehicle speed, fuel level, warning lights, etc.).The graphical user interface may also be configured to display a speedof the mixing drum 102, an indication of one or more predictedproperties of the mixture within the mixing drum 102 at delivery (e.g.,temperature, viscosity, slump, mix quality, an amount of airentrainment, water content, a weight, a volume, etc.), a notification inresponse to the one or more properties of the mixture reaching a targetvalue/amount (e.g., a desired slump, temperature, viscosity, mixquality, amount of air entrainment, water content, etc.), and/or stillother information relating to the drum assembly 100 and/or the mixturewithin the mixing drum 102.

The operator input may be used by an operator to provide commands and/orinformation (e.g., initial properties of the mixture, target propertiesfor the mixture, delivery data for the mixture, etc.) to at least one ofthe clutch 34, the drum drive system 120, the injection port 130, theI/O module 170, the GPS module 172, the concrete property module 174,and the GPS 190. The operator input may include one or more buttons,knobs, touchscreens, switches, levers, joysticks, pedals, a steeringwheel, and/or handles. The operator input may facilitate manual controlof some or all aspects of the operation of the concrete mixing truck 10.It should be understood that any type of display or input controls maybe implemented with the systems and methods described herein.

The I/O module 170 may be configured to receive information regardinginitial properties of the mixture and/or target properties for themixture from the user interface 188, from a customer device, and/or froma device of the concrete plant. The initial properties of the mixturemay include a weight of the mixture, a volume of the mixture (e.g.,yards of concrete, etc.), a constituent makeup of the mixture (e.g.,amount of cementitious material, aggregate, sand, water content, airentrainers, water reducers, set retarders, set accelerators,superplasticizers, corrosion inhibitors, coloring, calcium chloride,minerals, etc.), an initial slump, an initial viscosity, and/or anyother properties known about the mixture prior to and/or upon entrythereof into the mixing drum 102. The target properties for the mixturemay include a desired consistency, mixture quality, amount of airentrainment, viscosity, slump, temperature, water content, and/or stillother properties. As shown in FIG. 4 , the I/O module 170 is coupled tothe concrete property module 174 such that the concrete property module174 may receive, interpret, and/or record the initial properties of themixture and/or the target properties for the mixture to predict thedelivery properties for the mixture and/or when controlling the drumdrive system 120 to provide the target properties for the mixture. Insome embodiments, at least a portion of the initial properties and/ortarget properties are predefined within batching software (e.g., astandard initial property in batching software associated with theconcrete plant, a standard target property in batching softwareassociated with the concrete plant, software associated with the memory166 and/or the concrete property module 174 of the drum assemblycontroller 160, etc.).

The I/O module 170 may be configured to receive a target drum life forthe mixing drum 102 (e.g., a number of yards and mix of concrete themixing drum 102 is designed to receive throughout an operating lifetimethereof, a number of yards of concrete the mixing drum 102 is designedto receive throughout an operating lifetime thereof without regard forthe particular mix of the concrete, an operational life of the mixingelement within the mixing drum 102, a relationship between mixingelement degradation and operational time, etc.) and/or a type of themixing drum 102 (e.g., capacity, shape, manufacturer, a front dischargemixing drum, a rear discharge mixing drum, a thickness of a sidewall orother portion of the mixing drum 102, type and/or identity of materialsthe mixing drum 102 is manufactured from, dimensional characteristics,etc.) from the user interface 188 and/or from a device of the concreteplant. In some embodiments, at least one of the target drum life and thetype of the mixing drum 102 are predefined within the drum assemblycontroller 160 (e.g., the memory 166, the drive module 182, etc.).

The I/O module 170 may be configured receive delivery data regarding adelivery time, a delivery location (e.g., address of a job site, etc.),and/or a delivery route (e.g., based on road load parameters, etc.) forthe mixture from the user interface 188. As shown in FIG. 4 , the I/Omodule 170 is coupled to the GPS module 172 such that the GPS module 172may receive the delivery data from the I/O module 170. The GPS module172 may be configured to transmit the delivery data to the GPS 190. TheGPS 190 may be configured to receive and interpret the delivery datafrom the GPS module 172 and return GPS data to the GPS module 172. TheGPS module 172 may be configured to receive the GPS data from the GPS190. The GPS data may include turn-by-turn driving instructions, traveldistance, and/or travel time from a current location of the concretemixing truck 10 to the destination. Such information may be transmittedfrom the GPS module 172 to the I/O module 170 for display to theoperator on the user interface 188 to provide route guidance and/or tothe concrete property module 174 for interpretation and/or recordationto predict the delivery properties for the mixture and/or whencontrolling the drum drive system 120 to provide the target propertiesfor the mixture.

The GPS data may additionally or alternatively include road attributesat and/or ahead of a current location of the concrete mixing truck 10.The road attributes may include road grade, road curvature, speedlimits, stop sign locations, traffic light locations, roadclassifications (e.g., arterial, collector, local, etc.), on/off ramplocations, altitude, etc. The road attributes may be utilized and/ormonitored to detect changes therein (e.g., changes in elevation, etc.).In some embodiments, the GPS module 172 is configured to record roadattributes (e.g., road grades, stop light locations, stop signlocations, altitude, etc.) without or in addition to receiving the GPSdata from the GPS 190. In such embodiments, the GPS module 172 may beconfigured to learn as the concrete mixing truck 10 is driving alongvarious routes such that the road attributes are known when the sameroute is encountered or will be encountered in the future. The GPS datamay additionally or alternatively provide information regarding trafficinformation and/or traffic patterns at and/or ahead of the concretemixing truck 10. The concrete mixing truck 10 may include varioussensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes, inclinometers, cameras,barometric or other pressure sensors, altimeters, environment sensors,etc.) variously positioned on, around, and/or within the concrete mixingtruck 10 to acquire at least some of the road attributes. The sensorsmay also be configured to provide information regarding trafficinformation and/or traffic patterns (e.g., a vehicle slowing down,obstacles in the road, etc.). As shown in FIG. 4 , the GPS module 172 iscoupled to the concrete property module 174 such that the concreteproperty module 174 may receive, interpret, and/or record the GPS data(e.g., the road attributes, traffic information, and/or traffic patternsfrom the GPS 190; the road attributes, traffic information, and/ortraffic patterns from the sensors; etc.) when predicting the deliveryproperties for the mixture and/or when controlling the drum drive system120 to provide the target properties for the mixture.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the sensor module 176 is coupled to the sensors 140(e.g., the mixture sensors, the environment sensors, etc.). The sensormodule 176 may be configured to receive the mixture data and/or theenvironment data from the sensors 140. The mixture data may include oneor more current properties of the mixture within the mixing drum 102.The one or more properties of the mixture may include a current slump, acurrent mixture quality, a current viscosity, a current temperature, acurrent amount of air entrainment, a current water content, a currentweight, a current volume, a current rotational velocity, a currentrotational acceleration, a current surface tension, a mixed status, anunmixed status, a partially mixed status, etc. of the mixture. Theenvironment data may include one or more environmental characteristics.The environmental characteristics may include an ambient temperature, arelative humidity, wind speed, elevation, precipitation characteristics(e.g., rain, snow, fog, etc.), traffic information/patterns, roadattributes, etc. In some embodiments, the sensor module 176 isconfigured to receive at least a portion of the environment data from aninternet based service (e.g., a weather and/or topography service thatmay be accessed by and/or provided to the sensor module 176 and based ona current location of the concrete mixing truck 10, etc.).

The sensor module 176 may be configured to analyze the mixture data todetermine various properties of the mixture (e.g., slump, mix status,etc.). By way of example, the sensor module 176 may employ a fluidsand/or physics model configured to analyze various measurablecharacteristics of the mixture (e.g., velocity, acceleration, viscosity,air contents, surface tension, etc.) to estimate the slump of themixture (e.g., slump may not be directly measured, etc.). For example,the slump may be determined based on the flow characteristics of themixture within the mixing drum 102 as the mixing drum 102 rotates.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the concrete property module 174is configured to receive, interpret, and/or record at least one of theengine data (e.g., engine speed, etc.), the initial mixture properties(e.g., a weight of the mixture, a volume of the mixture, a constituentmakeup of the mixture, etc.), the GPS data (e.g., road attributes,traffic information, etc.), the mixture data (e.g., current propertiesof the mixture, etc.), and/or the environment data to predict deliveryproperties for the mixture within the mixing drum 102. The concreteproperty module 174 may be further configured to selectively and/oradaptively control the drive speed of the drum drive system 120 toachieve the target properties (e.g., a desired consistency, mixturequality, amount of air entrainment, viscosity, slump, temperature, watercontent, etc.) for the mixture during transport and/or upon arrival atthe destination and/or maintain the target properties if achieved priorto arriving at the destination based on the various data.

The prediction module 178 may be configured to predict deliveryproperties for the mixture based on the initial properties, the targetproperties, the delivery data, the environment data, the GPS data, thedrive system data, and/or the mixture data. The prediction module 178may be configured to additionally or alternatively predict the deliveryproperties for the mixture based on a current state of the mixing drum102 or components thereof. The prediction module 178 may be configuredto additionally or alternatively predict the delivery properties for themixture based on a current state of the mixing drum 102 or componentsthereof relative to one or more associated target life values (e.g.,where the mixing drum 102 is at in its life cycle, where mixing elementsor other components of the mixing drum 102 are at in their life cycle,mint, like-new, average, poor, degraded, etc.). The prediction module178 may be configured to additionally or alternatively predict thedelivery properties for the mixture based on the type of the mixing drum102. By way of example, the prediction module 178 may be configured todetermine the current state (e.g., the amount of degradation, etc.) ofthe mixing drum 102 and/or components thereof (e.g., the mixing element,the fin, etc.). The prediction module 178 may determine the currentstate (e.g., using a degradation profile, etc.) based on a time of use,an amount of mixture mixed during the time of use (e.g., yards ofmixture, etc.), an average rotational speed of the mixing drum 102, arotational speed profile of the mixing drum 102 (e.g., a history ofspeed over time, etc.), and/or still other operational characteristicsof the mixing drum 102. According to an exemplary embodiment, thecurrent state of the mixing drum 102 affects the properties of themixture.

In some embodiments, the prediction module 178 is configured to providean indication of the predicted delivery properties for the mixture tothe I/O module 170 such that the indication may be displayed to theoperator on the user interface 188. In some embodiments, the indicationis sent to a plant device at a concrete plant and/or a device of acustomer. The prediction module 178 may be configured to continuouslyand/or periodically update the prediction during transit based onvarious adjustments performed by the mixing drum 102 and/or otherdevices, and/or based on external characteristics. By way of example,the prediction may be updated as the rotational speed of the mixing drum102 is adaptively controlled. By way of another example, the predictionmay be updated as water and/or chemicals are injected into the mixingdrum 102. By way of another example, the prediction may be updated asthe current properties of the mixture change. By way of still anotherexample, the prediction may be updated as the environmentalcharacteristics (e.g., ambient temperature, altitude, humidity, etc.)change. By way of yet another example, the prediction may be updated asthe travel time to the destination changes (e.g., due to accidents,traffic jams, road conditions, detours, etc.).

The recording module 180 may be configured to record the delivery data,the initial properties, the target properties, the predicted deliveryproperties, the adjustments, the environment data, the mixture data, theGPS data, and/or actual delivery data (e.g., measured by the operatorand/or quality personnel and/or the mixture sensor at delivery, etc.) tofacilitate generating and/or updating a prediction algorithm storedwithin and operated by the prediction module 178. Such generation and/orupdating of the prediction algorithm may facilitate providing moreaccurate prediction and/or control of a mixture's properties duringfuture deliveries. Additionally, once a sufficient amount of data hasbeen compiled, the prediction algorithm may facilitate the eliminationof the mixture sensor from the mixing drum 102. By way of example, theinitial properties of the mixture may be determined with the sensor 140,provide by an operator of the plant, determined with sensors at theplant and provided to the drum assembly controller 160, and/ordetermined using look-up tables (e.g., based on the compiled data, etc.)with the drum assembly controller 160 and/or thereafter provided to thedrum assembly controller 160. The predicted delivery properties and/orthe mixture data may then be determined by the prediction module 178using the prediction algorithm based on the initial properties, variousadjustments performed during transit, the environmental data, and/or theGPS data (e.g., using the previously recorded data, look-up tables,etc.) without measurement thereof with a sensor. Such removal of themixture sensor may reduce the cost to manufacture and operate theconcrete mixing truck 10.

In some embodiments, the prediction module 178 and/or the recordingmodule 180 are additionally or alternatively remotely positionedrelative to the drum assembly controller 160 and/or the concrete mixingtruck 10 (e.g., in a remote monitoring and/or command system, etc.). Byway of example, the prediction module 178 and/or the recording module180 may be remotely positioned on a server system and operate as acloud-based system (e.g., a remote monitoring and/or command system,etc.) for the concrete mixing truck 10. As such, the data recordation,analysis, and/or determinations made by the drum assembly controller 160described herein may be additionally or alternatively performed remotelyfrom the concrete mixing truck 10 and then communicated to the drumassembly controller 160 (e.g., the drive module 182, the injectionmodule 184, etc.) for implementation.

As an example, the drum assembly controller 160 may include acommunications interface 186 that facilitates long-range wirelesscommunication with a remote monitoring and/or command system 192. Theremote monitoring and/or command system 192 may include a processingcircuit having a processor and a memory, and a communications interface(e.g., like the processing circuit 162, the communications interface186, etc. of the drum assembly controller 160). The communicationsinterface of the remote monitoring and/or command system 192 may beconfigured to receive various information and/or data (e.g., the initialproperties, the target properties, the environment data, the GPS data,the mixture data, the en route data, information regarding adjustmentsmade by the drum assembly 100, the drive system data, etc.) from thedrum assembly controller 160 and/or other external systems (e.g., aweather service, a topography service, a GPS service, a user inputdevice, a batching system, etc.). The remote monitoring and/or commandsystem 192 may record and analyze the various information and data andperform the functions of the prediction module 178 and/or the recordingmodule 180 described herein. The remote monitoring and/or command system192 may further be configured to provide commands to the drum assemblycontroller 160 for the drive module 182 and/or the injection module 184to implement (e.g., speed commands, injection commands, etc.).Therefore, any of the functions performed by the drum assemblycontroller 160 described herein may be remotely controlled by the remotemonitoring and/or command system 192.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the drive module 182 is coupled to the clutch 34and the drum drive system 120 (e.g., the pump 122, etc.). The drivemodule 182 may be configured to send a clutch command to the clutch 34and/or a speed command to the drum drive system 120. The clutch commandmay be transmitted by the drive module 182 to the clutch 34 to engage ordisengage the clutch 34 to selectively couple the drum drive system 120to the engine 16 to facilitate rotating the mixing drum 102 or stoppingthe rotation thereof. The clutch command may be transmitted in responseto a user input to start or stop the rotation of the mixing drum 102, inresponse to the mixing data from the sensor 140 indicating that amixture has be poured into or removed from the mixing drum 102, and/orin response to receiving a signal from a concrete plant indicating thatloading of the mixing drum 102 has started. In other embodiments, thedrive module 182 does not provide a clutch command (e.g., in embodimentswhere the concrete mixing truck 10 does not include the clutch 34,etc.).

The drive module 182 may be configured to transmit the speed command tothe drum drive system 120 (e.g., to the pump 122, while the clutch 34 isengaged, etc.) to selectively and/or adaptively control the drive speedof the mixing drum 102. In some embodiments, the drive module 182 isconfigured to modulate the flow from the pump 122 (e.g., by controllingthe angle/position of the throttling element thereof, etc.) to controlthe drive speed of the drum actuator 126 based on the engine speed asindicated by the engine data. By way of example, the drive module 182may be configured to actively control the pump 122 as the concretemixing truck 10 is driving such that as the engine speed changes, thedrive speed of the mixing drum 102 remains at a desired or target drivespeed. In one example, the drive module 182 may decrease the angle ofthe throttling element as the engine speed increases such that the pump122 maintains a constant output to maintain the target drive speed ofthe mixing drum 102. In another example, the drive module 182 mayincrease the angle of the throttling element as the engine speeddecreases such that the pump 122 maintains a constant output to maintainthe target drive speed of the mixing drum 102.

By way of another example, the drive module 182 may actively control thepump 122 in response to actual and/or anticipated accelerations and/ordecelerations of the concrete mixing truck 10. In an rear-dischargevehicle example, the drive module 182 may maintain or increase the angleof the throttling element as the concrete mixing truck 10 acceleratessuch that the output of the pump 122 increases, thereby causing thedrive speed of the mixing drum 102 to increase. Such an increase in thedrive speed of the mixing drum 102 may cause the mixing element of themixing drum 102 to drive the mixture contained therein forward,preventing the mixture from spilling out of the rear of the mixing drum102. In a front-discharge vehicle example, the drive module 182 mayincrease the angle of the throttling element as the concrete mixingtruck 10 decelerates such that the output of the pump 122 increases,thereby causing the drive speed of the mixing drum 102 to maintainconstant or increase. Such an increase in the drive speed of the mixingdrum 102 may cause the mixing element of the mixing drum 102 to drivethe mixture contained therein rearward, preventing the mixture fromspilling out of the front of the mixing drum 102.

In some embodiments, the drive module 182 is configured to modulate theflow out the pump 122 to control the drive speed of the drum actuator126 based on the GPS data. By way of example, the drive module 182 mayactively control the pump 122 as the concrete mixing truck 10 encountersand/or anticipates that the concrete mixing truck 10 will encountervarious different road parameters. In one example, the GPS data mayindicate a road grade increase ahead (e.g., a hill, etc.). In anrear-discharge vehicle example, the drive module 182 may increase theangle of the throttling element as the concrete mixing truck 10approaches a hill such that the output of the pump 122 increases,thereby causing the drive speed of the mixing drum 102 to increase. Suchan increase in the drive speed of the mixing drum 102 may cause themixing element of the mixing drum 102 to drive the mixture containedtherein forward, preventing the mixture from spilling out of the rear ofthe mixing drum 102.

In another example, the GPS data may indicate a stop light, a stop sign,a slowing vehicle, and/or other obstacles are ahead of the concretemixing truck 10. In a front-discharge vehicle example, the drive module182 may increase the angle of the throttling element in preparation forthe deceleration of the concrete mixing truck 10 such that the output ofthe pump 122 increases, thereby causing the drive speed of the mixingdrum 102 to increase. Such an increase in the drive speed of the mixingdrum 102 may cause the mixing element of the mixing drum 102 to drivethe mixture contained therein rearward, preventing the mixture fromspilling out of the front of the mixing drum 102. In a rear-dischargevehicle example, the drive module 182 may increase the angle of thethrottling element in preparation for the acceleration of the concretemixing truck 10 after slowing down and/or stopping such that the outputof the pump 122 increases, thereby causing the drive speed of the mixingdrum 102 to increase. Such an increase in the drive speed of the mixingdrum 102 may cause the mixing element of the mixing drum 102 to drivethe mixture contained therein forward, preventing the mixture fromspilling out of the rear of the mixing drum 102.

In yet another example, the GPS data may indicate that the concretemixing truck 10 is (i) approaching and/or traveling on an off rampand/or (ii) approaching and/or traveling on a corner or curvature in theroad. The drive module 182 may decrease the angle of the throttlingelement in response to the indication such that the output of the pump122 decreases, thereby causing the drive speed of the mixing drum 102 todecrease. In other embodiments, the drive module 182 otherwise decreasesthe drive speed of the mixing drum 102 in response to the indication.Such a decrease in the drive speed of the mixing drum 102 may furtherstabilize the concrete mixing truck 10 while cornering and/or exitingfrom highways (e.g., taking an off ramp, etc.).

In some embodiments, the drive module 182 is configured to modulate theflow from the pump 122 to selectively and/or adaptively control thedrive speed of the drum actuator 126 based on the initial properties ofthe mixture, the predicted delivery properties (e.g., determined basedon the initial properties, the delivery data, the environment data, themixture data, the GPS data, the engine data, the target properties, thedrum life of the mixing drum 102, the type of the mixing drum 102,etc.), and/or the mixture data indicating the current properties toprovide the target properties (e.g., a desired consistency, mixturequality, amount of air entrainment, viscosity, slump, temperature, watercontent, etc.). In some embodiments, the drive module 182 isadditionally or alternatively configured to modulate the flow from thepump 122 to selectively and/or adaptively control the drive speed of thedrum actuator 126 based on the target drum life for the mixing drum 102and/or the type of the mixing drum 102. According to an exemplaryembodiment, increasing the drive speed of the drum actuator 126increases the rotational speed of the mixing drum 102. The increase inthe rotational speed of the mixing drum 102 may increase the temperatureof the mixture (e.g., reducing the water content thereof, etc.), anddecrease the slump while increasing the viscosity of the mixture at anincreased rate (e.g., relative to a lower rotational speed, etc.).According to an exemplary embodiment, a reduced drive speed of the drumactuator 126 provides a decreased rotational speed for the mixing drum102. The decrease in the rotational speed of the mixing drum 102 mayprovide a constant or decreased temperature of the mixture and (i)maintain the slump and viscosity of the mixture or (ii) decrease theslump while increasing the viscosity at a reduced rate (e.g., relativeto a higher rotational speed, etc.).

As shown in FIG. 4 , the injection module 184 is coupled to theinjection port 130 (e.g., injection valve thereof, etc.). The injectionmodule 184 may be configured to send an injection command to theinjection port 130. The injection command may be transmitted by theinjection module 184 to the injection port 130 to inject water and/orchemicals into the mixing drum 102 from the fluid reservoir.

In some embodiments, the injection module 184 is configured toselectively control the valve of the injection port 130 to adaptivelymodulate an amount of water and/or chemicals that are injected into themixing drum 102 before, during, and/or after transit. Such injection ofwater and/or chemicals may be used to supplement and/or replaceadaptively controlling the drive speed of the mixing drum 102 to providethe target properties for the mixture. Such injection may be limited toa threshold amount of water and/or chemicals, and/or limited based onGPS location of the concrete mixing truck 10. By way of example, theinjection module 184 may be configured to prevent an operator of theconcrete mixing truck 10 and/or the drum control system 150 fromintroducing more than a predetermined, threshold amount of water and/orchemicals to the mixture (e.g., indicated by a concrete plant, indicatedby the target properties, etc.) to inhibit saturating the mixture withliquid. By way of another example, injection module 184 may beconfigured to prevent an operator of the concrete mixing truck 10 and/orthe drum control system 150 from introducing water and/or chemicals tothe mixture based on the GPS location of the concrete mixing truck 10.For example, the injection module 184 may selectively prevent theinjection of water and/or chemicals after the concrete mixing truck 10arrives at a job site.

By way of example, the drive module 182 may be configured to selectivelyand/or adaptively control the drive speed of the drum actuator 126 suchthat the target properties for the mixture are achieved upon arrival ofthe concrete mixing truck 10 at the destination. As an example, themixing drum 102 may be filled with a concrete mixture. At least some ofthe initial properties of the concrete mixture may be entered manuallyby an operator using the user interface 188 and/or at least some of theinitial properties of the concrete mixture may be acquired by thesensors 140. The operator may enter target properties for the concretemixture (e.g., customer desired properties, etc.) and/or a desireddestination for the concrete mixture using the user interface 188. Theconcrete property module 174 may be configured to determine a targetdrive speed for the mixing drum 102 based on (i) the distance, traveltime, and/or road parameters between the current location of theconcrete mixing truck 10 and the destination (e.g., indicated by the GPSdata, etc.), (ii) the initial properties of the concrete mixture (e.g.,manually entered, measured, etc.), and/or (iii) the target propertiesfor the concrete mixture upon arrival. The drive module 182 may thenengage the clutch 34 using the clutch command (e.g., if the concretemixing truck 10 includes the clutch 34, etc.) and provide the speedcommand to the drum drive system 120 to operate the drum actuator at thetarget drive speed. During transit, the concrete property module 174 maybe configured to (i) periodically or continually monitor the mixturedata with the sensors 140 indicating the current properties of theconcrete mixture to adjust the target drive speed (e.g., to a seconddrive speed, etc.) if the target properties are being approached tooquickly (e.g., slow down the mixing drum 102, etc.) or too slowly (e.g.,speed up the mixing drum 102, etc.) and/or (ii) adjust the target drivespeed (e.g., to a second drive speed, etc.) based on the engine dataand/or the GPS data (e.g., during acceleration, during deceleration,when encountering hills, when encountering stop signs or stop lights,when encountering traffic, when encountering curves, when encounteringon/off ramps, to keep the concrete mixture within the mixing drum 102,to further stabilize the concrete mixing truck 10, etc.). In someembodiments, the concrete property module 174 is configured to change(e.g., modify, alter, reduce, increase, etc.) the drive speed of themixing drum 102 while measurement of the properties of the concretemixture is being performed by the sensors 140.

By way of another example, the drive module 182 may be configured toselectively and/or adaptively control the drive speed of the drumactuator 126 to maintain the target properties for the mixture ifachieved prior to the concrete mixing truck 10 arriving at thedestination. As an example, the mixing drum 102 may be filed with aconcrete mixture. At least some of the initial properties of theconcrete mixture may be entered manually by an operator using the userinterface 188 and/or at least some of the initial properties of theconcrete mixture may be acquired by the sensors 140. The operator mayenter target properties for the concrete mixture (e.g., customer desiredproperties, etc.). The concrete property module 174 may be configured todetermine a target drive speed for the mixing drum 102 based on (i) theinitial properties of the concrete mixture (e.g., manually entered,measured, etc.) and (ii) the target properties for the concrete mixture.The drive module 182 may then engage the clutch 34 using the clutchcommand (e.g., if the concrete mixing truck 10 includes the clutch 34,etc.) and provide the speed command to the drum drive system 120 tooperate the drum actuator at the target drive speed. During transit, theconcrete property module 174 may be configured to (i) periodically orcontinually monitor the mixture data with the sensors 140 indicating thecurrent properties of the concrete mixture to adjust the target drivespeed if the target properties are being approached too quickly (e.g.,slow down the mixing drum 102, etc.) or too slowly (e.g., speed up themixing drum 102, etc.) and/or (ii) adjust the target drive speed basedon the engine data and/or the GPS data (e.g., during acceleration,during deceleration, when encountering hills, when encountering stopsigns or stop lights, when encountering traffic, when encounteringcurves, when encountering on/off ramps, to keep the concrete mixturewithin the mixing drum 102, to further stabilize the concrete mixingtruck 10, etc.). Once the target properties are reached or about to bereached, as indicated by sensor inputs, the concrete property module 174may be configured to determine and operate the drum drive system 120 ata second target drive speed to achieve and/or maintain the targetproperties (e.g., to prevent overshoot, to prevent reducing the slumptoo much, to prevent increasing the viscosity too much, from a concreteplant, etc.).

Drum Control Methods

Referring now to FIG. 5 , a method 500 for controlling a drum drivesystem of a concrete mixing truck is shown, according to an exemplaryembodiment. At step 502, a mixing drum (e.g., the mixing drum 102, etc.)of a mixing vehicle (e.g., the concrete mixing truck 10, etc.) receivesa mixture (e.g., a wet concrete mixture, etc.). At step 504, acontroller (e.g., the drum assembly controller 160, the remotemonitoring and/or command system 192, etc.) is configured to receiveinitial properties of the mixture (e.g., from an operator with the userinterface 188, etc.) and/or receive measured initial properties of themixture from a sensor (e.g., the sensor 140, etc.). At step 506, thecontroller is configured to receive target properties for the mixture(e.g., from an operator with the user interface 188, etc.). In someembodiments, the controller is configured to receive a signal from abatching system at a concrete plant. The signal may contain dataindicating that loading of the mixing drum of the mixing vehicle hasstarted and/or is about to start. The controller may be configured toinitiate rotation of the mixing drum and/or set the speed of the drum toa desired speed based on the signal from the batching system and/or thetarget properties. In some embodiments, the controller is configured torotate the mixing drum based on a GPS location of the mixing truck(e.g., to verify that the mixing truck is at the concrete plant andthereafter rotate the mixing drum, etc.). In other embodiments, thecontroller is configured to additionally or alternatively rotate themixing drum based on a sensor input from the sensor indicating thatloading has initiated. In still other embodiments, the controller isconfigured to rotate the mixing drum based on a user input indicatingthat loading has started and/or is about to start (e.g., using the userinterface 188, etc.).

At step 508, the controller is configured to determine a target drivespeed for the mixing drum based on the initial properties and the targetproperties of the mixture. In other embodiments, the target speed ispredetermined and sent to the controller from the batching system at theconcrete plant. At step 510, the controller is configured to operate themixing drum (e.g., with the drum drive system 120, etc.) at the targetdrive speed. At step 512, the controller is configured to monitor thecurrent properties of the mixture using the sensor. In some embodiments,the controller is additionally or alternatively configured to estimatethe current properties of the mixture (e.g., in embodiments where theconcrete mixing truck 10 does not include a mixture sensor, the mixturedata may be determined using a prediction algorithm based on the initialproperties, various adjustments performed during transit, theenvironmental data, and/or the GPS data without measurement thereof witha sensor, etc.). At step 514, the controller is configured to adjust thetarget drive speed to a second target drive speed based on the currentproperties approaching and/or reaching the target properties (e.g., toprevent overshoot, etc.). In some embodiments, the controller isadditionally or alternatively configured to control an amount of waterinjected into the mixing drum to supplement or replace adaptivelycontrolling the drive speed of the mixing drum to provide the targetproperties for the mixture. Such injection may be limited to a thresholdamount of water and/or limited based on the GPS location of the mixingtruck.

Referring now to FIG. 6 , a method 600 for controlling a drum drivesystem of a concrete mixing truck is shown, according to anotherexemplary embodiment. At step 602, a mixing drum (e.g., the mixing drum102, etc.) of a mixing vehicle (e.g., the concrete mixing truck 10,etc.) receives a mixture (e.g., a wet concrete mixture, etc.). At step604, a controller (e.g., the drum assembly controller 160, the remotemonitoring and/or command system 192, etc.) is configured to receiveinitial properties of the mixture (e.g., from an operator with the userinterface 188, from a batching system at a concrete plant, etc.) and/orreceive measured initial properties of the mixture from a sensor (e.g.,the sensor 140, etc.). At step 606, the controller is configured toreceive target properties for the mixture (e.g., from an operator withthe user interface 188, etc.). In some embodiments, the controller isconfigured to receive a signal from a batching system at a concreteplant. The signal may contain data indicating that loading of the mixingdrum of the mixing vehicle has started and/or is about to start. Thecontroller may be configured to initiate rotation of the mixing drumand/or set the speed of the drum to a desired speed based on the signalfrom the batching system and/or the target properties. In someembodiments, the controller is configured to rotate the mixing drumbased on a GPS location of the mixing truck (e.g., to verify that themixing truck is at the concrete plant and thereafter rotate the mixingdrum, etc.). In other embodiments, the controller is configured toadditionally or alternatively rotate the mixing drum based on a sensorinput from the sensor indicating that loading has initiated. In stillother embodiments, the controller is configured to rotate the mixingdrum based on a user input indicating that loading has started and/or isabout to start (e.g., using the user interface 188, etc.).

At step 608, the controller is configured to receive a desireddestination for the mixture (e.g., from an operator using the userinterface 188, etc.). At step 610, the controller is configured toreceive GPS data indicating a travel distance, a travel time, trafficinformation, traffic patterns, and/or road parameters (e.g., from theGPS 190, etc.) between a current location and the desired destination.At step 612, the controller is configured to determine a target drivespeed for the mixing drum based on the initial properties for themixture, the target properties of the mixture, and/or the GPS data. Inother embodiments, the target speed is predetermined and sent to thecontroller from the batching system at the concrete plant. At step 614,the controller is configured to operate the mixing drum (e.g., with thedrum drive system 120, etc.) at the target drive speed.

At step 616, the controller is configured to monitor the currentproperties of the mixture using the sensor. In some embodiments, thecontroller is additionally or alternatively configured to estimate thecurrent properties of the mixture (e.g., in embodiments where theconcrete mixing truck 10 does not include a mixture sensor, the mixturedata may be determined using a prediction algorithm based on the initialproperties, various adjustments performed during transit, theenvironmental data, and/or the GPS data without measurement thereof witha sensor, etc.). At step 618, the controller is configured to receiveengine data indicating a speed and/or acceleration (or deceleration) ofan engine (e.g., the engine 16, etc.) of the mixing vehicle. At step620, the controller is configured to adjust the target drive speed to asecond target drive speed based on (i) the current propertiesapproaching and/or reaching the target properties (e.g., to preventovershoot, etc.), (ii) the GPS data (e.g., hills, stop signs, stoplights, traffic, etc.), and/or (iii) the engine data (e.g.,acceleration, deceleration, etc.). In some embodiments, the controlleris additionally or alternatively configured to control an amount ofwater injected into the mixing drum to supplement or replace adaptivelycontrolling the drive speed of the mixing drum to provide the targetproperties for the mixture. Such injection may be limited to a thresholdamount of water and/or limited based on the GPS location of the mixingtruck.

Property Prediction Methods

Referring now to FIG. 7 , a method 700 for predicting properties of amixture within a mixing vehicle is shown, according to an exemplaryembodiment. Method 700 may begin with a mixing drum (e.g., the mixingdrum 102, etc.) of a mixing vehicle (e.g., the concrete mixing truck 10,etc.) receiving a mixture (e.g., a wet concrete mixture from a concreteplant, etc.). In some embodiments, a controller (e.g., the drum assemblycontroller 160, etc.) is configured to receive a signal from a batchingsystem at a concrete plant indicating that loading of the mixing drum ofthe mixing vehicle has started. Such a signal may cause the controllerto initiate rotation of the mixing drum and/or set the speed of the drumto a desired speed. In some embodiments, such initiation of the rotationof the mixing drum further utilizes a GPS location of the mixing vehicleto verify that the mixing vehicle is at the concrete plant and beingloaded when the signal is sent. In other embodiments, the initiation ofthe rotation is based on a sensor input from a sensor (e.g., the sensor140, a mixture sensor, etc.) indicating loading has initiated. In stillother embodiments, the initiation of the rotation in based on anoperator input (e.g., using the user interface 188, etc.).

At step 702, a controller (e.g., the drum assembly controller 160, theremote monitoring and/or command system 192, etc.) is configured toreceive delivery data for the mixture. The delivery data may include adelivery time, a delivery location, and/or a delivery route. In someembodiments, the controller receives at least a portion of the deliverydata from a user input (e.g., using the user interface 188, etc.). Thedelivery data may be provided by an operator of the mixing vehicle, anemployee at a concrete plant, and/or a customer and transmitted to thecontroller (e.g., remotely, wirelessly, via a wired connection, onboardthe mixing vehicle, etc.). In some embodiments, the controller receivesat least a portion of the delivery data from a GPS (e.g., the GPS 190,etc.).

At step 704, the controller is configured to receive initial propertiesof the mixture. The initial properties of the mixture may include aweight of the mixture, a volume of the mixture, a constituent makeup ofthe mixture (e.g., amount of cementitious material, aggregate, sand,water content, air entrainers, water reducers, set retarders, setaccelerators, superplasticizers, corrosion inhibitors, coloring, calciumchloride, minerals, etc.), an initial slump of the mixture, an initialviscosity of the mixture, and/or any other properties known about themixture prior to and/or upon entry into the mixing drum. In someembodiments, the controller receives at least a portion of the initialproperties from a user input (e.g., using the user interface 188, etc.).The initial properties may be input by an operator of the mixing vehicleand/or an employee at a concrete plant (e.g., remotely, wirelessly, viaa wired connection, onboard the mixing vehicle, etc.). In someembodiments, the controller receives at least a portion of the initialproperties from a sensor (e.g., a mixture sensor positioned within themixing drum, the sensor 140, etc.).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the controller is configured toreceive environment data. The environment data may be indicative of anenvironmental characteristic. The environmental characteristics mayinclude an ambient temperature, a relative humidity, wind speed,elevation, precipitation characteristics (e.g., rain, snow, fog, etc.),traffic information/patterns, road attributes, etc. In some embodiments,the controller receives at least a portion of the environment data froma user input (e.g., using the user interface 188, etc.). The environmentdata may be input by an operator of the mixing vehicle and/or anemployee at a concrete plant (e.g., remotely, wirelessly, via a wiredconnection, onboard the mixing vehicle, etc.). In some embodiments, thecontroller receives at least a portion of the environment data from asensor (e.g., a temperature sensor, a barometer or other pressuresensor, a humidity sensor, a pitot tube, an altimeter, an accelerometer,a camera, a proximity sensor, a sensor positioned on the mixing vehicle,the sensor 140, etc.). In some embodiments, the controller receives atleast a portion of the environment data from an internet based service(e.g., a weather and/or topography service that is accessed by and/orprovided to the controller and based on current location of the mixingvehicle, etc.).

At step 706, the controller is configured to receive target propertiesfor the mixture. The target properties for the mixture may include aconsistency, mixture quality, amount of air entrainment, viscosity,slump, temperature, water content, and/or still other properties desiredfor the mixture. According to an exemplary embodiment, the controllerreceives the target properties from a user input (e.g., using the userinterface 188, etc.). The target properties may be provided by anoperator of the mixing vehicle, an employee at a concrete plant, and/ora customer (e.g., remotely, wirelessly, via a wired connection, onboardthe mixing vehicle, etc.). In some embodiments, at least a portion ofthe initial properties and/or target properties are predefined withinbatching software (e.g., a standard initial property in batchingsoftware associated with the concrete plant, a standard target propertyin batching software associated with the concrete plant, softwareassociated with the memory 166 and/or the concrete property module 174of the drum assembly controller 160, etc.). In some embodiments, thecontroller is configured to determine and operate the mixing drum (e.g.,with the drum drive system 120, etc.) at an initial drive speed based onthe initial properties of the mixture, the delivery data, theenvironment data, and/or the target properties for the mixture. In otherembodiments, the initial drive speed is predetermined and sent to thecontroller from the batching system at the concrete plant. In someembodiments, the controller is configured to additionally oralternatively determine and operate the mixing drum at the initial drivespeed based on a target drum life for the mixing drum (e.g., a number ofyards and mix of concrete the mixing drum is designed to receivethroughout an operating lifetime thereof, a number of yards of concretethe mixing drum is designed to receive throughout an operating lifetimethereof without regard for the particular mix of the concrete, etc.)and/or a type of the mixing drum (e.g., capacity, shape, manufacturer, afront discharge mixing drum, a rear discharge mixing drum, a thicknessof a sidewall or other portion of the mixing drum, type and/or identityof materials the mixing drum is manufactured from, dimensionalcharacteristics, etc.).

At step 708, the controller is configured to predict delivery propertiesfor the mixture (i.e., predicted properties for the mixture upon arrivalat the destination) based on the delivery data, the initial propertiesof the mixture, and/or the environmental data. In some embodiments, thecontroller is configured to additionally or alternatively predict thedelivery properties for the mixture based on a target drum life for themixing drum, a target life of one or more mixing drum components, acurrent state of the mixing drum (e.g., relative to the target drum lifefor the mixing drum, etc.), a current state of one or more mixing drumcomponents (e.g., relative to the target life for the one or more mixingdrum components, etc.), and/or the type of the mixing drum. At step 710,the controller is configured to provide an indication of the predicteddelivery properties for the mixture. The predicted delivery propertiesmay include a consistency, mixture quality, amount of air entrainment,viscosity, slump, temperature, water content, and/or still otherproperties predicted for the mixture upon arrival at the destination(e.g., a job site, etc.). In some embodiments, the indication of thepredicted delivery properties for the mixture is provided to an operatorof the mixing vehicle (e.g., on the user interface 188 within the cab14, etc.). In some embodiments, the indication of the predicted deliveryproperties for the mixture is provided to the batching system at theconcrete plant (e.g., on a plant computer, etc.). In some embodiments,the indication of the predicted delivery properties for the mixture isprovided to a customer (e.g., on a customer device, etc.).

At step 712, the controller is configured to provide an adjustmentwithin predefined parameters based on the predicted delivery properties,the target properties, a target drum life for the mixing drum, a targetlife of one or more mixing drum components, a current state of themixing drum (e.g., relative to the target drum life for the mixing drum,etc.), a current state of one or more mixing drum components (e.g.,relative to the target life for the one or more mixing drum components,etc.), and/or the type of the mixing drum. In some embodiments, theadjustment includes adaptively controlling a speed at which a drivesystem (e.g., the drum drive system 120, etc.) rotates the mixing drum(e.g., from a first speed to a second, different speed, etc.). Suchcontrol of the rotational speed of the mixing drum may alter theproperties of the mixture (e.g., to achieve the target properties forthe mixture, etc.). By way of example, increasing the speed of mixingdrum may increase the temperature of the mixture to (e.g., reducing thewater content thereof, etc.), and decrease the slump while increasingthe viscosity of the mixture at an increased rate (e.g., relative to alower rotational speed, etc.). By way of another example, a reducedspeed of the mixing drum may provide a constant or decreased temperatureof the mixture and (i) maintain the slump and viscosity of the mixtureor (ii) decrease the slump while increasing the viscosity at a reducedrate (e.g., relative to a higher rotational speed, etc.).

In some embodiments, the adjustment additionally or alternativelyincludes adaptively controlling an amount of water and/or chemicalsinjected from a reservoir into the mixing drum by an injection valve(e.g., the injection valve of the injection port 130, etc.). Suchinjection of water and/or chemicals may be used to supplement and/orreplace adaptively controlling the speed of the mixing drum to providethe target properties for the mixture. Such injection may be limited toa threshold amount of water and/or chemicals, and/or limited based onGPS location of the mixing vehicle. By way of example, the controllermay be configured to prevent an operator of the mixing vehicle and/orthe control scheme from introducing more than a predetermined, thresholdamount of water and/or chemicals into the mixture (e.g., indicated by abatching system at a concrete plant, indicated by the target properties,indicated by a customer, etc.) to inhibit saturating the mixture withliquid. By way of another example, the controller may be configured toprevent an operator of the mixing vehicle and/or the control scheme fromintroducing water and/or chemicals to the mixture based on the GPSlocation of the mixing vehicle. For example, the controller mayselectively prevent the injection of water and/or chemicals after themixing vehicle arrives at a job site.

At step 714, the controller is configured to receive en route data. Theen route data may include the environment data (e.g., updatedenvironment data, an environmental characteristic such as an ambienttemperature, a relative humidity, wind speed, elevation, precipitationcharacteristics, traffic information/patterns, road attributes, etc.),mixture data, and/or GPS data. The controller may receive the mixturedata from a sensor (e.g., a mixture sensor, the sensor 140, etc.)positioned within the mixing drum and/or estimate the mixture data. Themixture data may be indicative of one or more current properties of themixture within the mixing drum. The controller may receive the GPS datafrom the GPS. The GPS data may include turn-by-turn drivinginstructions, travel distance, and/or travel time from a currentlocation of the mixing vehicle to the destination. The GPS data mayadditionally or alternatively provide information regarding trafficinformation and/or traffic patterns at and/or ahead of the mixingvehicle. At step 716, the controller is configured to update thepredicted delivery properties based on the adjustment performed and/orthe en route data (e.g., the environment data, the mixture data, the GPSdata, etc.).

At step 718, the controller is configured to determine whether deliverycriteria has been satisfied (e.g., the delivery time has been reached,the mixing vehicle has arrived at the delivery location for the mixture,etc.). If the delivery criteria has not been satisfied, the controlleris configured to repeat steps 710-716. Thus, the controller may beconfigured to continuously and/or periodically (e.g., every minute, twominutes, five minutes, ten minutes, etc.; every mile, two miles, fivemiles, ten miles, etc.) (i) provide indications of the predicteddelivery properties, (ii) make adjustments based on the predicteddelivery properties and/or the target properties, (iii) receive the enroute data (e.g., the environment data, the mixture data, the GPS data,etc.), and (iv) update the predicted delivery properties based on theadjustments and/or the en route data.

If the delivery criteria has been satisfied, the controller isconfigured to provide an indication of the actual delivery properties ofthe mixture and/or the predicted delivery properties for the mixture. Insome embodiments, the indication of the actual properties of the mixtureis provided to an operator of the mixing vehicle (e.g., on the userinterface 188 within the cab 14, etc.). In some embodiments, theindication of the actual delivery properties of the mixture is providedto a concrete plant (e.g., on a plant computer, the batching systemetc.). In some embodiments, the indication of the actual deliveryproperties of the mixture is provided to a customer (e.g., on a customerdevice, etc.). The actual delivery properties may be acquired andtransmitted to the controller by the sensor within the mixing drumand/or manually determined and entered into the user interface by theoperator and/or a quality personnel. The actual delivery properties ofthe mixture and the predicted delivery properties for the mixture may becompared and used for further processing.

Referring now to FIG. 8 , a method 800 for predicting properties of amixture within a mixing vehicle is shown, according to another exemplaryembodiment. Method 800 may begin with a mixing drum (e.g., the mixingdrum 102, etc.) of a mixing vehicle (e.g., the concrete mixing truck 10,etc.) receiving a mixture (e.g., a wet concrete mixture from a concreteplant, etc.). In some embodiments, a controller (e.g., the drum assemblycontroller 160, etc.) is configured to receive a signal from a batchingsystem at a concrete plant indicating that loading of the mixing drum ofthe mixing vehicle has started. Such a signal may cause the controllerto initiate rotation of the mixing drum and/or set the speed of the drumto a desired speed. In some embodiments, such initiation of the rotationof the mixing drum further utilizes a GPS location of the mixing vehicleto verify that the mixing vehicle is at the concrete plant and beingloaded when the signal is sent. In other embodiments, the initiation ofthe rotation is based on a sensor input from a sensor (e.g., the sensor140, a mixture sensor, etc.) indicating loading has initiated. In stillother embodiments, the initiation of the rotation in based on anoperator input (e.g., using the user interface 188, etc.).

At step 802, a controller (e.g., the drum assembly controller 160, theremote monitoring and/or command system 192, etc.) is configured toreceive and record delivery data for the mixture. The delivery data mayinclude a delivery time, a delivery location, and/or a delivery route.In some embodiments, the controller receives at least a portion of thedelivery data from a user input (e.g., using the user interface 188,etc.). The delivery data may be provided by an operator of the mixingvehicle, an employee at a concrete plant, and/or a customer andtransmitted to the controller (e.g., remotely, wirelessly, via a wiredconnection, onboard the mixing vehicle, etc.). In some embodiments, thecontroller receives at least a portion of the delivery data from a GPS(e.g., the GPS 190, etc.).

At step 804, the controller is configured to receive and record initialproperties of the mixture. The initial properties of the mixture mayinclude a weight of the mixture, a volume of the mixture, a constituentmakeup of the mixture (e.g., amount of cementitious material, aggregate,sand, water content, air entrainers, water reducers, set retarders, setaccelerators, superplasticizers, corrosion inhibitors, coloring, calciumchloride, minerals, etc.), an initial slump of the mixture, an initialviscosity of the mixture, and/or any other properties known about themixture prior to and/or upon entry into the mixing drum. In someembodiments, the controller receives at least a portion of the initialproperties from a user input (e.g., using the user interface 188, etc.).The initial properties may be input by an operator of the mixing vehicleand/or an employee at a concrete plant (e.g., remotely, wirelessly, viaa wired connection, onboard the mixing vehicle, etc.). In someembodiments, the controller receives at least a portion of the initialproperties from a sensor (e.g., a mixture sensor positioned within themixing drum, the sensor 140, etc.).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the controller is configured toreceive and record environment data. The environment data may beindicative of an environmental characteristic. The environmentalcharacteristics may include an ambient temperature, a relative humidity,wind speed, elevation, precipitation characteristics (e.g., rain, snow,fog, etc.), traffic information/patterns, road attributes, etc. In someembodiments, the controller receives at least a portion of theenvironment data from a user input (e.g., using the user interface 188,etc.). The environment data may be input by an operator of the mixingvehicle and/or an employee at a concrete plant (e.g., remotely,wirelessly, via a wired connection, onboard the mixing vehicle, etc.).In some embodiments, the controller receives at least a portion of theenvironment data from a sensor (e.g., a temperature sensor, a barometeror other pressure sensor, a humidity sensor, a pitot tube, an altimeter,a sensor positioned on the mixing vehicle, the sensor 140, etc.). Insome embodiments, the controller receives at least a portion of theenvironment data from an internet based service (e.g., a weather and/ortopography service that is accessed by and/or provided to the controllerand based on current location of the mixing vehicle, etc.).

At step 806, the controller is configured to receive and record targetproperties for the mixture. The target properties for the mixture mayinclude a consistency, mixture quality, amount of air entrainment,viscosity, slump, temperature, water content, and/or still otherproperties desired for the mixture. According to an exemplaryembodiment, the controller receives the target properties from a userinput (e.g., using the user interface 188, etc.). The target propertiesmay be provided by an operator of the mixing vehicle, an employee at aconcrete plant, and/or a customer (e.g., remotely, wirelessly, via awired connection, onboard the mixing vehicle, etc.). In someembodiments, at least a portion of the target properties are predefinedwithin batching software (e.g., a standard initial property in batchingsoftware associated with the concrete plant, a standard target propertyin batching software associated with the concrete plant, softwareassociated with the memory 166 and/or the concrete property module 174of the drum assembly controller 160, etc.). In some embodiments, thecontroller is configured to determine and operate the mixing drum (e.g.,with the drum drive system 120, etc.) at an initial drive speed based onthe initial properties of the mixture, the delivery data, theenvironment data, and/or the target properties for the mixture. In otherembodiments, the initial drive speed is predetermined and sent to thecontroller from the batching system at the concrete plant. In someembodiments, the controller is configured to additionally oralternatively determine and operate the mixing drum at the initial drivespeed based on a target drum life for the mixing drum (e.g., a number ofyards and mix of concrete the mixing drum is designed to receivethroughout an operating lifetime thereof, a number of yards of concretethe mixing drum is designed to receive throughout an operating lifetimethereof without regard for the particular mix of the concrete, etc.)and/or a type of the mixing drum (e.g., capacity, shape, manufacturer, afront discharge mixing drum, a rear discharge mixing drum, a thicknessof a sidewall or other portion of the mixing drum, type and/or identityof materials the mixing drum is manufactured from, dimensionalcharacteristics, etc.).

At step 808, the controller is configured to predict and record deliveryproperties for the mixture (i.e., predicted properties for the mixtureupon arrival at the destination) based on the delivery data, the initialproperties of the mixture, and/or the environmental data. In someembodiments, the controller is configured to additionally oralternatively predict the delivery properties for the mixture based on atarget drum life for the mixing drum, a target life of one or moremixing drum components, a current state of the mixing drum (e.g.,relative to the target drum life for the mixing drum, etc.), a currentstate of one or more mixing drum components (e.g., relative to thetarget life for the one or more mixing drum components, etc.), and/orthe type of the mixing drum. At step 810, the controller is configuredto provide an indication of the predicted delivery properties for themixture. The predicted delivery properties may include a consistency,mixture quality, amount of air entrainment, viscosity, slump,temperature, water content, and/or still other properties predicted forthe mixture upon arrival at the destination (e.g., a job site, etc.). Insome embodiments, the indication of the predicted delivery propertiesfor the mixture is provided to an operator of the mixing vehicle (e.g.,on the user interface 188 within the cab 14, etc.). In some embodiments,the indication of the predicted delivery properties for the mixture isprovided to a concrete plant (e.g., on a plant computer, the batchingsystem etc.). In some embodiments, the indication of the predicteddelivery properties for the mixture is provided to a customer (e.g., ona customer device, etc.).

At step 812, the controller is configured to provide and record anadjustment within predefined parameters based on the predicted deliveryproperties, the target properties, a target drum life for the mixingdrum, a target life of one or more mixing drum components, a currentstate of the mixing drum (e.g., relative to the target drum life for themixing drum, etc.), a current state of one or more mixing drumcomponents (e.g., relative to the target life for the one or more mixingdrum components, etc.), and/or the type of the mixing drum. In someembodiments, the adjustment includes adaptively controlling a speed atwhich a drive system (e.g., the drum drive system 120, etc.) rotates themixing drum (e.g., from a first speed to a second, different speed,etc.). Such control of the rotational speed of the mixing drum may alterthe properties of the mixture (e.g., to achieve the target propertiesfor the mixture, etc.). By way of example, increasing the speed ofmixing drum may increase the temperature of the mixture (e.g., reducingthe water content thereof, etc.), and decrease the slump whileincreasing the viscosity of the mixture at an increased rate (e.g.,relative to a lower rotational speed, etc.). By way of another example,a reduced speed of the mixing drum may provide a constant or decreasedtemperature of the mixture and (i) maintain the slump and viscosity ofthe mixture or (ii) decrease the slump while increasing the viscosity ata reduced rate (e.g., relative to a higher rotational speed, etc.).

In some embodiments, the adjustment additionally or alternativelyincludes adaptively controlling an amount of water and/or chemicalsinjected from a reservoir into the mixing drum by an injection valve(e.g., the injection valve of the injection port 130, etc.). Suchinjection of water and/or chemicals may be used to supplement and/orreplace adaptively controlling the speed of the mixing drum to providethe target properties for the mixture. Such injection may be limited toa threshold amount of water and/or chemicals, and/or limited based onGPS location of the mixing vehicle. By way of example, the controllermay be configured to prevent an operator of the mixing vehicle and/orthe control scheme from introducing more than a predetermined, thresholdamount of water and/or chemicals into the mixture (e.g., indicated by abatching system at a concrete plant, indicated by the target properties,indicated by a customer, etc.) to inhibit saturating the mixture withliquid. By way of another example, the controller may be configured toprevent an operator of the mixing vehicle and/or the control scheme fromintroducing water and/or chemicals to the mixture based on the GPSlocation of the mixing vehicle. For example, the controller mayselectively prevent the injection of water and/or chemicals after themixing vehicle arrives at a job site.

At step 814, the controller is configured to receive and record en routedata. The en route data may include the environment data (e.g., updatedenvironment data, an environmental characteristic such as an ambienttemperature, a relative humidity, wind speed, elevation, precipitationcharacteristics, traffic information/patterns, road attributes, etc.),mixture data, and/or GPS data. The controller may receive the mixturedata from a sensor (e.g., a mixture sensor, the sensor 140, etc.)positioned within the mixing drum and/or estimate the mixture data. Themixture data may be indicative of one or more current properties of themixture within the mixing drum. The controller may receive the GPS datafrom the GPS. The GPS data may include turn-by-turn drivinginstructions, travel distance, and/or travel time from a currentlocation of the mixing vehicle to the destination. The GPS data mayadditionally or alternatively provide information regarding trafficinformation and/or traffic patterns at and/or ahead of the mixingvehicle. At step 816, the controller is configured to update and recordthe predicted delivery properties based on the adjustment performedand/or the en route data (e.g., the environment data, the mixture data,the GPS data, etc.).

At step 818, the controller is configured to determine whether deliverycriteria has been satisfied (e.g., the delivery time has been reached,the mixing vehicle has arrived at the delivery location for the mixture,etc.). If the delivery criteria has not been satisfied, the controlleris configured to repeat steps 810-816. Thus, the controller may beconfigured to continuously and/or periodically (e.g., every minute, twominutes, five minutes, ten minutes, etc.; every mile, two miles, fivemiles, ten miles, etc.) (i) provide indications of the predicteddelivery properties, (ii) make and record adjustments based on thepredicted delivery properties and/or the target properties, (iii)receive and record the en route data (e.g., the environment data, themixture data, the GPS data, etc.), and (iv) update and record thepredicted delivery properties based on the adjustments and/or the enroute data. If the delivery criteria has been satisfied, the controlleris configured to provide the indication of the predicted deliveryproperties for the mixture (step 820).

At step 822, the controller is configured to receive and record actualdelivery properties of the mixture. In some embodiments, the controllerreceives at least a portion of the actual delivery properties from auser input (e.g., using the user interface 188, manually determined andentered, etc.). The actual properties may be provided by an operator ofthe mixing vehicle, a quality personnel, and/or a customer (e.g.,remotely, wirelessly, via a wired connection, onboard the mixingvehicle, etc.). In some embodiments, the controller receives at least aportion of the actual properties from a sensor (e.g., a mixture sensorpositioned within the mixing drum, the sensor 140, etc.). At step 824,the controller is configured to provide an indication of the actualdelivery properties of the mixture. In some embodiments, the indicationof the actual properties of the mixture is provided to an operator ofthe mixing vehicle (e.g., on the user interface 188 within the cab 14,etc.). In some embodiments, the indication of the actual deliveryproperties of the mixture is provided to a concrete plant (e.g., on aplant computer, a batching system, etc.). In some embodiments, theindication of the actual delivery properties of the mixture is providedto a customer (e.g., on a customer device, etc.).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the controller is configured torecord the delivery data, the initial properties, the target properties,the predicted delivery properties, the adjustments, the en route data(e.g., the environment data, the mixture data, the GPS data, etc.),and/or the actual delivery data to facilitate generating and/or updatinga prediction algorithm stored within and operated by the controller.Such generation and/or updating of the prediction algorithm mayfacilitate providing more accurate prediction and/or control of amixture's properties in future deliveries. Additionally, once asufficient amount of data has been compiled, the prediction algorithmmay facilitate the removal of the mixture sensor from the mixingvehicle. By way of example, the initial properties of the mixture may beinput by the batching system at the plant, determined with sensors atthe plant, and/or determined using look-up tables (e.g., based on thecompiled data, etc.). The predicted delivery properties and/or themixture data may be determined based on the initial properties, variousadjustments made during transit, the environmental data, and/or the GPSdata (e.g., using the compiled data, look-up tables, etc.) withoutneeding to be directly measured with a sensor. Such removal of themixture sensor may thereby reduce the cost to manufacture and operatethe mixing vehicle.

Referring now to FIG. 9 , a method 900 for determining a combination ofingredients is sufficiently mixed is shown, according to anotherexemplary embodiment. At step 902, a mixing drum (e.g., the mixing drum102, etc.) of a mixing vehicle (e.g., the concrete mixing truck 10,etc.) receives a combination of ingredients (e.g., a non-wet mixture, anon-mixed combination of ingredients, etc.). By way of example, thecombination of ingredients may include various unmixed constituents whendeposited into the mixing drum (e.g., cementitious materials, aggregate,sand, rocks, water, additives, absorbent materials, etc.). At step 904,a controller (e.g., the drum assembly controller 160, the remotemonitoring and/or command system 192, etc.) is configured to provide acommand to a drive system (e.g., the drum drive system 120, etc.) to mixthe combination of ingredients within the mixing drum. At step 906, thecontroller is configured to estimate and/or monitor a property of thecombination of ingredients (e.g., a slump, a consistency, a homogeneity,a moisture content, etc.; with a sensor; using a model, algorithm, lookup table, etc.; etc.). At step 908, the controller is configured todetermine the combination of ingredients has been sufficiently mixed(e.g., based on the property, the combination of ingredients has beencombined to form a wet concrete mixture, etc.). At step 910, thecontroller is configured to implement a drum control process (e.g.,method 500, method 600, etc.) and/or a property prediction process(e.g., method 700, method 800, etc.).

Command Control and Monitoring System

According to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 10-13 , theconcrete mixing truck 10 includes a command control and monitoringsystem including the sensors 140, the drum control system 150, and theuser interface 188. The command control and monitoring system isconfigured to facilitate an operator in providing commands to variouscomponents of the concrete mixing truck 10 (e.g., the engine 16, thedrum drive system 120, the sensors 140, the user interface 188, etc.),according to an exemplary embodiment. The command control and monitoringsystem is additionally or alternatively configured to facilitate anoperator in monitoring various components of the concrete mixing truck10 based on diagnostic information regarding the various components,according to an exemplary embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 , the user interface 188 includes a firstinterface, shown as display device 200, a second interface, shown as cabinput device 210, and a third interface, shown as rear input device 220.As shown in FIG. 10 , the display device 200 and the cab input device210 are positioned within the cab 14, and the rear input device 220 ispositioned external from the cab 14 at the rear of the drum assembly100. In other embodiments, the rear input device 220 is otherwisepositioned about the exterior of the concrete mixing truck 10.

As shown in FIG. 11 , the display device 200 includes a screen, shown asdisplay screen 202. According to an exemplary embodiment, the displayscreen 202 of the display device 200 is configured as a touchscreendisplay (e.g., a tablet, a touchscreen monitor, etc.). The displaydevice 200 may be configured to display diagnostic information regardingthe operational functionality and/or state of various components of theconcrete mixing truck 10 (e.g., faults, etc.), operating data regardingcurrent operating parameters of various component of the concrete mixingtruck 10, indicia, graphical user interfaces (“GUIs”), and/or stillother information to an operator within the cab 14 of the concretemixing truck 10. The display device 200 may be configured to facilitateproviding commands to one or more components of the concrete mixingtruck 10 (e.g., the drum drive system 120, the sensors 140, the drumcontrol system 150, etc.) from within the cab 14 of the concrete mixingtruck 10.

As shown in FIG. 11 , the cab input device 210 includes a commandinterface, shown as cab control pad 212, having various buttons and aninput, shown as joystick 214. According to an exemplary embodiment, thevarious buttons of the cab control pad 212 facilitate selecting one ormore components to control with the joystick 214, selecting a mode ofoperation of the drum assembly 100, and/or activing/deactivating variouscomponents of the concrete mixing truck 10 from within the cab 14. Byway of example, the cab control pad 212 and/or the joystick 214 mayfacilitate controlling a rotational direction of the mixing drum 102,controlling a speed of the mixing drum 102, controlling an angle of thechute 112, controlling an injection of fluid (e.g., water, chemicaladditives, etc.) into the mixing drum 102, stopping the rotation of themixing drum 102, starting the rotation of the mixing drum 102, lockingand unlocking one or more components of the drum assembly 100, raisingand lowering an additional axle of the concrete mixing truck 10 (e.g.,for increased loading conditions, etc.), discharging the mixture fromthe mixing drum 102, and/or otherwise controlling one or more componentsof the concrete mixing truck 10 from within the cab 14.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the rear input device 220 includesa second control pad or rear control pad having various buttons (e.g.,similar to the cab control pad 212 of the cab input device 210, etc.).The various buttons of the second control pad of the rear input device220 may facilitate selecting one or more components to control (e.g.,with the joystick 214, with the rear input device 220, etc.), selectinga mode of operation of the drum assembly 100, and/oractiving/deactivating various components of the concrete mixing truck 10from outside of the concrete mixing truck 10.

As shown in FIG. 12 , the display screen 202 of the display device 200is configured to display a first graphical user interface, shown asstatus GUI 230. The status GUI 230 includes various features such as asettings button 232, a mode button 234, a command bar 236, a drum statusindicator 238, and a mixture status indicator 240. The setting button232 may facilitate adjusting the information displayed on the status GUI230 and/or adjusting the settings of the display device 200 (e.g., abrightness, etc.). The mode button 234 may indicate a current mode thedrum assembly 100 is operating in and/or facilitate changing the currentmode. The command bar 236 may indicate the current commands that arebeing provided to the drum assembly 100. The drum status indicator 238may indicate the speed of the mixing drum 102 and/or the direction ofrotation of the mixing drum 102. The mixture status indicator 240 maydisplay the mixture data and indicate one or more properties of themixture within the mixing drum 102. By way of example, the one or moreproperties of the mixture may include a mixture quality, a slump, aconsistency of mixture, a viscosity, a temperature, an amount of airentrainment, an amount of water content, a weight, a volume, arotational velocity, a rotational acceleration, a surface tension, etc.of the mixture.

As shown in FIG. 13 , the display screen 202 of the display device 200is configured to display a second graphical user interface, shown ascommand GUI 250. The command GUI 250 includes a first section, shown asfirst keypad section 252, a second section, shown as second keypadsection 254, and a third section, shown as joystick section 256.According to an exemplary embodiment, the first keypad section 252 isassociated with the cab control pad 212 of the cab input device 210, thesecond keypad section 254 is associated with the rear control pad of therear input device 220, and the joystick section 256 is associated withthe joystick 214. By way of example, when a button is pressed on the cabcontrol pad 212 of the cab input device 210, the associated button inthe first keypad section 252 of the command GUI 250 may illuminate,change color, become highlighted, and/or otherwise change to indicatethat the associated button has been pressed on the cab control pad 212.By way of another example, when a button is pressed on the rear controlpad of the rear input device 220, the associated button in the secondkeypad section 254 of the command GUI 250 may illuminate, change color,become highlighted, and/or otherwise change to indicate that theassociated button has been pressed on the rear input device 220. By wayof yet another example, a degree of engagement of the joystick 214 maybe represented by a sliding indicator bar of the joystick section 256(e.g., the more the bar is filled the faster the speed of the mixingdrum 102 may be, etc.).

In some embodiments, the display device 200 is additionally oralternatively configured to display at least one of a chute diagnosticsGUI, a fuse diagnostics GUI, a drum diagnostics GUI, and/or otherdiagnostics GUIs to indicate the status, mode, and/or faults of variouscomponents of the concrete mixing truck 10. The chute diagnostics GUImay be configured to display the status and/or position of the chute 112(e.g., up, down, angled left, angled right, centered, locked, unlocked,etc.) and information regarding the circuits thereof. The fusediagnostics GUI may be configured to indicate whether each respectivefuse of the concrete mixing truck 10 is either operational or blown. Thedrum diagnostics GUI may be configured to display any electrical issueswith the drum assembly 100 such as shorts, open circuits, improperinstallation, etc. and/or display the mode, status, and/or operationalparameters of components of the drum assembly 100 (e.g., activation of adrum stop solenoid, a drum charge solenoid, a drum discharge solenoid,etc.; a drum speed; a drum direction; etc.).

According to an exemplary embodiment, the command control and monitoringsystem is configured to facilitate diagnosing faults and identifying theprobable location of the faults on concrete mixing truck 10. By way ofexample, when a fault is diagnosed by the command control and monitoringsystem, the display device 200 may provide a GUI having a graphicalrepresentation of the concrete mixing truck 10 (e.g., similar to thatshown in FIG. 10 , etc.) indicating the location of the fault on theconcrete mixing truck 10 and/or a suggested solution. For example,components experiencing a fault may be displayed in a different color(e.g., red, etc.), flashing, highlighted, circled, and/or otherwiseidentified. In some embodiments, the faults are telematically sent to aremote server or computer (e.g., a truck hub, a repair shop, an owner'sbusiness, etc.).

By way of example, the command control and monitoring system may beconfigured to monitor (i) the mixture sensors configured to acquire themixture data for monitoring concrete properties of the mixture, (ii) thedrive system sensors configured to acquire the drive system data formonitoring the operating characteristics of the drum drive system 120,(iii) the environment sensors configured to acquire environment data formonitoring environmental characteristics external to the mixing drum102, and/or (iv) inputs and outputs used to control functions of theconcrete mixing truck 10 (e.g., inputs and outputs of the drum drivesystem 120, the injector device of the injection port 130, the engine16, etc.). The command control and monitoring system may be furtherconfigured to determine that there is a potential fault with one or moreof the sensors (e.g., the mixture sensors, the environment sensors, thedrive system sensors, etc.), the input, and/or the output. The commandcontrol and monitoring system may be further configured to provide afault notification on the display device 200 indicating the potentialfault location.

In some embodiments, the control and monitoring system is configuredmonitor a property of the mixture within the mixing drum 102 and providean alert when the property begins to deviate from an expected orpredicted value. For example, the control and monitoring system may beconfigured to determine that a property is changing at an increased rateor too slow of a rate, determine a potential fault location based on theproperty that is changing, and provide a fault notification thatindicates the potential fault location. By way of example, the controland monitoring system may recognize that the slump of the mixture isincreasing (e.g., becoming less viscous, more fluid, etc.). The controland monitoring system may therefore provide an alert that the slump isincreasing at an alarming rate and provide an indication that theinjection valve may have been left open or stuck (e.g., frozen open inthe winter, etc.). The control and monitoring system may thereby providean alert on the display device 200 to check the injection valve to stopthe fluid injection and prevent the slump from increasing further fromthe target slump.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the display device 200 is portableand removable from the cab 14 (e.g., a tablet, a laptop, a smart device,etc.). The display device 200 may therefore be capable of capturingpictures of the failed or fault area/component (e.g., to be sent to atechnician, etc.). The display device 200 may additionally oralternatively be capable of being brought to the area of the concretemixing truck 10 where the fault originated and provide step-by-stepinstructions on how to diagnose and troubleshoot the problem. Theinstructions may be visually displayed and/or audibly provided by thedisplay device 200. The display device 200 may be configured to displaydata sheets, prints, and/or schematics without having to search orrequest such information to facilitate the diagnosis and/ortroubleshooting. The display device 200 may be configured to facilitateautomatic ordering of replacement parts/components directly therefrom.Further, the display device 200 may facilitate remote diagnostics from aservice/technician center.

As utilized herein, the terms “approximately”, “about”, “substantially”,and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony withthe common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art towhich the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. It should beunderstood by those of skill in the art who review this disclosure thatthese terms are intended to allow a description of certain featuresdescribed and claimed without restricting the scope of these features tothe precise numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these terms shouldbe interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequentialmodifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimedare considered to be within the scope of the invention as recited in theappended claims.

It should be noted that the term “exemplary” as used herein to describevarious embodiments is intended to indicate that such embodiments arepossible examples, representations, and/or illustrations of possibleembodiments (and such term is not intended to connote that suchembodiments are necessarily extraordinary or superlative examples).

The terms “coupled,” “connected,” and the like, as used herein, mean thejoining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Suchjoining may be stationary (e.g., permanent) or movable (e.g., removable,releasable, etc.). Such joining may be achieved with the two members orthe two members and any additional intermediate members being integrallyformed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two membersor the two members and any additional intermediate members beingattached to one another.

References herein to the positions of elements (e.g., “top,” “bottom,”“above,” “below,” etc.) are merely used to describe the orientation ofvarious elements in the figures. It should be noted that the orientationof various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments,and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the presentdisclosure.

Also, the term “or” is used in its inclusive sense (and not in itsexclusive sense) so that when used, for example, to connect a list ofelements, the term “or” means one, some, or all of the elements in thelist. Conjunctive language such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y, andZ,” unless specifically stated otherwise, is otherwise understood withthe context as used in general to convey that an item, term, etc. may beeither X, Y, Z, X and Y, X and Z, Y and Z, or X, Y, and Z (i.e., anycombination of X, Y, and Z). Thus, such conjunctive language is notgenerally intended to imply that certain embodiments require at leastone of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z to each be present,unless otherwise indicated.

It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of theelements of the systems and methods as shown in the exemplaryembodiments are illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments ofthe present disclosure have been described in detail, those skilled inthe art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that manymodifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions,structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values ofparameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors,orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novelteachings and advantages of the subject matter recited. For example,elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple partsor elements. It should be noted that the elements and/or assemblies ofthe components described herein may be constructed from any of a widevariety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability, inany of a wide variety of colors, textures, and combinations.Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included withinthe scope of the present inventions. Other substitutions, modifications,changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions,and arrangement of the preferred and other exemplary embodiments withoutdeparting from scope of the present disclosure or from the spirit of theappended claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A concrete mixer vehicle comprising: achassis; a drum assembly coupled to the chassis, the drum assemblyincluding: a drum configured to receive drum contents includingingredients of a concrete mixture; and a drive system coupled to thedrum, the drive system configured to rotate the drum to agitate the drumcontents; a mixture sensor positioned within the drum to engage with thedrum contents to facilitate acquiring drum contents data indicative of aproperty of the drum contents; and a control system configured to:control the drive system to rotate the drum at a first, unmixed speedfollowing receipt of the ingredients of the concrete mixture by the drumat a loading location; acquire the drum contents data from the mixturesensor and monitor the property of the drum contents as the drumrotates; acquire a target property for the drum contents upon delivery;determine a second, mixed speed based at least partially on the targetproperty; and control the drive system to rotate the drum at the second,mixed speed in response to determining that the property of the drumcontents indicates that the ingredients have been sufficiently mixed. 2.The concrete mixer vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control system isconfigured to: continue to monitor the property of the drum contents asthe concrete mixer vehicle drives to a delivery destination; and providea command to the drum assembly to control operation of a component ofthe drum assembly to affect the property of the drum contents.
 3. Theconcrete mixer vehicle of claim 2, wherein the command includes at leastone of (i) a first command to control the speed at which the drivesystem rotates the drum from the second, mixed speed to a third speed or(ii) a second command to control an amount of a fluid provided into thedrum.
 4. The concrete mixer vehicle of claim 3, wherein the commandincludes the first command.
 5. The concrete mixer vehicle of claim 3,wherein the command includes the second command.
 6. The concrete mixervehicle of claim 3, wherein the command includes the first command andthe second command.
 7. The concrete mixer vehicle of claim 1, whereinthe control system is configured to receive the target property from abatching system.
 8. The concrete mixer vehicle of claim 1, furthercomprising an operator interface, wherein the control system isconfigured to receive the target property from the operator interface.9. The concrete mixer vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control system isconfigured to: acquire at least one of (i) environment data regardingenvironmental characteristics or (ii) GPS data including informationregarding characteristics of a route between a current location of theconcrete mixer vehicle and a delivery destination for the drum contents;and determine the second, mixed speed based on (i) the property at thetime of determining that the ingredients have been sufficiently mixed,(ii) the target property, and (ii) the at least one of the environmentdata or the GPS data in an attempt to arrive at the delivery destinationwith the drum contents having the target property.
 10. The concretemixer vehicle of claim 9, wherein the control system is configured to:acquire the environment data and the GPS data; and determine the second,mixed speed based on the environment data and the GPS data.
 11. Theconcrete mixer vehicle of claim 9, further comprising an environmentsensor, wherein the control system is configured to acquire at least aportion of the environment data from the environment sensor.
 12. Theconcrete mixer vehicle of claim 9, wherein the control system isconfigured to acquire at least a portion of the environment data from asystem remote from the concrete mixer vehicle.
 13. The concrete mixervehicle of claim 9, wherein the control system is configured to acquirethe GPS data.
 14. The concrete mixer vehicle of claim 13, wherein theGPS data includes at least one of a travel distance, a travel time,traffic information, or a road parameter between the current locationand the delivery destination.
 15. The concrete mixer vehicle of claim 9,wherein the control system is configured to: continue to monitor theproperty of the drum contents as the concrete mixer vehicle drives tothe delivery destination; and provide a command to the drum assembly tocontrol operation of a component of the drum assembly to affect theproperty of the drum contents based on the property of the drumcontents, the target property for the drum contents, updated environmentdata, and updated GPS data.
 16. The concrete mixer vehicle of claim 15,wherein the command includes at least one of (i) a first command tocontrol the speed at which the drive system rotates the drum from thesecond, mixed speed to a third speed or (ii) a second command to controlan amount of a fluid provided into the drum.
 17. The concrete mixervehicle of claim 16, wherein the command includes the first command andthe second command.
 18. A drum system comprising: a drum assemblyincluding: a drum configured to receive drum contents includingingredients of a concrete mixture; and a drive system coupled to thedrum, the drive system configured to rotate the drum to agitate the drumcontents; a mixture sensor positioned within the drum to engage with thedrum contents to facilitate acquiring drum contents data indicative of aproperty of the drum contents; and a control system configured to:control the drive system to rotate the drum at a first, unmixed speedfollowing receipt of the ingredients of the concrete mixture by thedrum; acquire the drum contents data from the mixture sensor and monitorthe property of the drum contents as the drum rotates; acquire a targetproperty for the drum contents upon delivery; determine a second, mixedspeed based at least partially on the target property; and control thedrive system to rotate the drum at the second, mixed speed in responseto determining that the property of the drum contents indicates that theingredients have been sufficiently mixed.
 19. A drum control systemcomprising: a mixture sensor configured to be positioned within a drumto engage with drum contents to facilitate acquiring drum contents dataindicative of a property of the drum contents; and a controllerconfigured to: control a drive system to rotate the drum at a first,unmixed speed following receipt of the drum contents by the drum, thedrum contents including ingredients of a concrete mixture; acquire thedrum contents data from the mixture sensor and monitor the property ofthe drum contents as the drum rotates; acquire a target property for thedrum contents upon delivery; determine a second, mixed speed based atleast partially on the target property; and control the drive system torotate the drum at the second, mixed speed in response to determiningthat the property of the drum contents indicates that the ingredientshave been sufficiently mixed.